





CopgM?- 


COPnUGHT DEPOSm 





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IN FAIRYLAND 


STORIES RETOLD BY 


EMMA SERL 


Instructor in Primary Methods 
Teachers Training School, Kansas City, Mo. 


With Illustrations 

BY 

NANCY BARNHART 



NEW YORK 

NEWSON & COMPANY 



Copyright, 1917, 

By Newson & Company 


All righls reserved 


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AUG -91917 


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CONTENTS 


PAGE 


1 . 

The Fairy Folk 

Allingham . . 

7 

2 . 

The Shoemaker and the Elves 

From the German . 

9 

3 . 

The Stone Cutter ....... 

From the Japanese 

15 

4 . 

Cinderella 

From the French . 

20 

5 . 

Hans and the Sad Princess . . 

From the Norse . . 

31 

6 . 

Taro, the Fisher Lad .... 

From the Japanese 

38 

7 . 

Diamonds and Toads 

From the French . 

46 

8 . 

Beauty and the Beast .... 

From the French . 

51 

9 . 

The Giant’s Baby 

From the English . 

67 

10 . 

Snow White and the Seven 




Little Dwarfs 

From the German . 

74 

11 . 

The Fisherman and His Wife . 

From the German . 

87 

12 . 

Prince Cherry 

From the English . 

96 

13 . 

Momotaro, the Peach Boy . . 

From the Japanese 

105 

14 . 

The Story of Fairyfoot . . . 

From the English . 

114 

15 . 

True and Untrue 

From the Norse . . 

125 

16 . 

The Magic Prison 

From the American 

135 

17 . 

The Troll’s Hammer 

From the American 

144 

18 . 

The Tongue-cut Sparrow . . . 

From the American 

150 

19 . 

Why the Sea is Salt 

From the American 

156 


f 

h 



f 




« 


. '.i 


IN FAIRYLAND 


9 



« 


IN FAIRYLAND 

THE FAIRY FOLK 

U P the airy mountain, 

Down the rushy glen, 
We daren’t go a-hunting 
For fear of little men; 

Wee folk, good folk. 

Trooping all together; ' 
Green jacket, red cap. 

And white owl’s feather! 

Down along the rocky shore 
Some make their home: 
They live on crispy pancakes 
Of yellow tide foam; 

Some in the reeds 

Of the black mountain lake, 
With frogs for their watchdogs. 
All night awake. 

High on the hill-tops 
The old king sits; 

He is now so old and gray, 

He’s nigh lost his wits. 

7 


8 


IN FAIRYLAND 


By the craggy hillside, 

Through the mosses bare, 

They have planted thorn trees 
For pleasure here and there. 

Is any man so daring 

As dig them up in spite? 

He shall find their sharpest thorns 
In his bed at night. 

Up the airy mountain, 

Down the rushy glen. 

We daren’t go a-hunting 
For fear of little men; 

Wee folk, good folk. 

Trooping all together; 

Green jacket, red cap, 

And white owl’s feather. 

William Allingham 


THE SHOEMAKER AND 
THE ELVES 


NCE upon a time in a far-away land, 



there lived a shoemaker who was 


very poor. He worked hard every 
day from early in the morning until late 
at night, but he kept getting poorer and 
poorer. 

One day he said to his wife, “I have only 
one piece of leather. It is enough to make 
one pair of shoes. I will cut ^em out to- 
night and sew them in the morning. Perhaps 
some one may come and buy them.” 

The shoemaker cut out the shoes. It 
was late so he put them on his bench and 
went to bed. 

In the morning he got up early to begin 
his work. But there on the bench instead 
of the pieces of leather was a pair of the 
finest shoes he had ever seen! The good 
man could hardly believe his eyes. He stood 
and looked and looked and looked. 

“Wife, Wife,” he called, “come and see 
these shoes!” 


9 


10 


IN FAIRYLAND 



The wife came and stood and 
looked and looked and looked. 

“See,” cried the shoemaker, 
“the shoes are finished! Who 
could have made them.^” 

Now while they were wonder- 
ing a man came in. 

“I am looking for a fine pair 
of shoes,” he said. “Have you 
any to sell.^” 

“I have this one pair, sir,” 
said the shoemaker. 

“They are just what I want,” 
said the man. “Here is the 
money for them.” 

The shoemaker now had 
enough to buy leather for two 
pairs of shoes. 

He said, “I will cut them 
out to-night and make them in 
the morning.” 



THE SHOEMAKER AND THE ELVES 11 

So he cut them out and left them on the 
bench as before. 

But in the morning instead of the pieces 
of leather there were two pairs of fine shoes! 
The shoemaker wondered and wondered 
and wondered. 

Soon two customers came in. “We wish 
to buy two pairs of fine shoes,” they said. 
“Have you any to sell.^” 

“I have these two pairs,” answered the 
shoemaker. 

“They are just what we want,” said the 
men. “We will pay you well for them.” 

Now the shoemaker had enough money 
to buy leather for four pairs of shoes. That 
night he cut them out and in the morning 
four pairs of shoes, all finished, stood on his 
bench. 

And so it happened for a long time. Every 
night the shoemaker left his work on the 
bench and every morning he found it finished. 

People began to talk about his fine shoes, 
and the shoemaker began to get rich. But 
still he did not know who it was that did the 
work, and he kept wondering and wondering 
and wondering. 

At last he said, “Wife, I want to know 


12 IN FAIRYLAND 

who it is that helps us. Let us sit up to- 
night and watch.” 

“Yes, let us watch,” said the wife. “It 
must be the good fairies who are helping us.” 

So that night the shoemaker left the work 
on the bench as before and then he and his 
wife hid behind the door. They waited and 
waited and waited. The clock struck ten 
— but no one came. 
After a long time it 
struck eleven. Still 
no one came. And 
then, after a long, 
long time it struck 
twelve. 

Suddenly there 
was a strange sound 
at the door and ten little elves danced across 
the floor. They ran around the room and then 
jumped up on the shoemaker’s bench. 

Tap, tap, tap; rap, rap, rap; stitch, stitch, 
stitch; how they did work! They made 
wee shoes for babies and beautiful slippers 
for ladies and shoes for big, big men. At 
last just before the sun came up the work was 
all finished. Then the elves laughed and 
danced and hugged each other. They ran 



THE SHOEMAKER AND THE ELVES 13 

around the room — and in a minute all were 
gone. 

The shoemaker and his wife came out 
from behind the door. There on the bench 
was the row of fine shoes. 

“The dean* little elves!” said the shoe- 
maker. “How they have helped us!” 

“The dear little elves!” said the wife. 
“How I wish that we might do something for 
them!” 

“What can we do.^” asked the shoemaker. 

“I know,” said his wife. “I will make 
ten little suits of clothes and you can make 
ten little pairs of shoes.” 

“That is good,” said the shoemaker. “Let 
us go to work at once.” 

So for ten days the shoemaker and his wife 
worked and worked and worked. The wife 
made ten tiny suits of clothes and the shoe- 
maker made ten wee pairs of shoes. 

At last they were all done and that night 
the shoemaker put them on the bench in 
place of the cut-out leather. Then he and 
his wife hid behind the door. 

When twelve o’clock came the ten little 
elves danced into the room. They jumped 
up on the shoemaker’s bench, but there 


14 


IN FAIRYLAND 


were no shoes to be made. Instead there 
were ten little suits of clothes and ten wee 
pairs of shoes. 

The elves looked and looked and looked. 
Then each little elf put on a little suit of 
clothes and a pair of wee shoes. They 
laughed and danced and hugged each other. 
They ran around the room and out of the 
door and no one ever saw them again. 

But the shoemaker always had shoes to 
sell, he grew richer every day, and he and 
his wife were happy as long as they lived. 



THE STONECUTTER 


NCE upon 
there was 


a time in far-off Japan 
stonecutter by the 


Hofus. 



He lived in a 
little hut near 
a high moun- 
tain. Every 
day he went 
up the moun- 
tain and from 
its side he cut 
great blocks of stone, 
lay he took a 
stone to the home 


15 



16 


IN FAIRYLAND 


of a rich man in the city. While he waited 
he walked through the big rooms of the 
house. When he came to the bedroom of 
the rich man he stopped in wonder. He 
saw a bed as soft as down with curtains of 
silk and gold; on the walls were beautiful 
pictures; and on the floor were fine rugs. 

“Oh,” he said, “how I wish that I were 
rich and might live in such a room.” 

The mountain fairy heard the wish and the 
next morning when Hofus awoke he was lying 
in a bed as soft as down, around him were cur- 
tains of silk and gold, on the walls were beauti- 
ful pictures, and on the floor were fine rugs. 

“Now,” said the stonecutter, “I shall not 
work any more. I am rich, and I shall be 
happy.” 

But Hofus was not happy. He grew tired 
of looking at the pictures, the rugs were in 
his way, and even the bed did not make him 
sleep well. 

One day as he gazed out of the window 
he saw a splendid carriage pass by. It was 
drawn by six snow-white horses, coachmen 
rode in front and footmen rode behind, and 
under a canopy of silver and gold sat a prince. 

The stonecutter looked as long as he could 


THE STONECUTTER 


17 


see and then he said, “Oh, how I wish I might 
be a prince and ride in such a splendid carriage.” 

The mountain fairy heard and the next day 
when Hofus awoke he was a prince. Servants 
dressed in blue and silver waited upon him, 
he ate from plates of gold, and he rode in a 
splendid carriage drawn by six white horses. 

“Now,” said the stonecutter, “I shall 
be happy. I am a prince and no one is 
greater than I.” 

But Hofus was not happy. One day as 
he walked in his garden he saw that the sun 
had made the flowers bend their heads, that 
the grass was dry and dead; even he was 
burned by the great heat. 

“I am a mighty prince,” he said, “but I 
am not so great as the sun. It can do things 
that I cannot do. I wish I were the sun.” 

The mountain fairy changed Hofus to the 
sun. He rode high in the sky and he sent 
his hot rays down upon the earth. He 
burned the rice fields and killed the cherry 
blossoms, he dried up the streams and rivers, 
he made every one suffer from his great heat. 

“Now,” he said, “I am great. There is 
nothing so mighty as I.” 

But the next day a cloud came and rested 


18 


IN FAIRYLAND 


between him and the earth. He sent his 
hottest rays against it, but the cloud remained 
unchanged. 

“I am the mighty sun,” he said, “but I 
am not so great as the cloud that can hide 
my face. I wish I were the cloud.” 

The mountain fairy heard and Hofus was 
changed to the cloud. He floated over the 
earth and he kept the sun from shining upon 
it. Day after day he sent rain to the ground 
below. The rivers overflowed, the rice fields 
were covered with water, and towns and 
villages were swept away. 

“There is nothing so mighty as a cloud,” 
said Hofus; “now I am truly great.” 

* But there was one thing on the earth that 
did not feel the rain from the cloud. That 
was the great rock on the mountain side. 
The cloud saw it and sent a torrent of rain, 
but the rock remained unmoved. 

The cloud said, “ That rock is greater than I. 
I wish I were a great rock that could not 
be burned by the sun or moved by the rain.” 

At once the fairy changed him to a rock. 
For years he stayed on the mountain side. 
The storms came and beat upon him, but he 
remained the same. 


THE STONECUTTER 


19 


“Now I am mighty,” said Hofus, “nothing 
can change me now.” 

But one morning the rock heard a strange 
noise at his feet — tap, tap, tap. A stone- 
cutter was chipping away at the rock ; soon 
a great block was broken off. 

The rock sighed and said, “There is one 
greater than I. I wish I were a man. There 
is nothing so mighty as a man.” 

The fairy heard and Hofus was himself 
again. He lived in the same little hut, and 
every day he went up the mountain side and 
cut out the great blocks of stone. 

And as he labored he said, “Now I know 
that I am truly great in doing my daily 
work.” 



CINDERELLA 


NCE upon a time in a far-away city 



there lived a rich man, his wife, 


and only daughter. They were very, 
very happy until one day the mother took 
sick and died. Then came many sad days 
for the young daughter. 

Some time after the father married a woman 
who was proud and cross. She brought with 
her two daughters of her own who were 
also proud and cross. 

The new mother was harsh and cruel to 
her husband’s daughter. She was made to 
work with the servants and sleep on a bed 
of straw in the attic. In the evening she 
sat in the chimney corner among the cinders 
and so her stepsisters called her Cinderella, 
or the cinder maiden. 

Her clothes were ragged, yet she was far 
more beautiful than they could ever hope to 
be. This made the sisters jealous and they 
abused her in every way they could. 

Now it happened that the king gave a 


20 


CINDERELLA 


21 


great ball and he invited to it all the rich 
people in the country. 

The two sisters spent days in getting 
ready to go. They talked of nothing but 
of the clothes they were to wear. 

“I shall wear a red velvet dress,” said 
the elder, “ and I shall trim it with pearls.” 

“I shall wear yel- 
low satin,” said the 
younger, “with a black 
velvet cape. I am sure 
it will be finer than 
yours.” 

Thus every day the 
sisters quarreled about 
their dresses. 

At last the night of 
the ball came and Cin- 
derella was called to 
help them make 
ready. She 
combed 



their hair and fastened their gowns and did 
everything she could to help. 

“How I wish I could go to the ball,” she 
said. 

“Ha, ha, you go to the ball.^^” said the 


22 IN FAIRYLAND 

elder. “You would look fine at such a 
place!” 

“Balls are not for cinder maids,” said the 
younger. 

When the sisters got into their coach 
Cinderella went back to the kitchen. She 
sat down in the chimney corner and began to 
cry. All at once she heard a noise in the 
chimney. She looked up quickly, and a little 
old lady stepped out from the fireplace. 

“Don’t be frightened, my^dear,” the little 
lady said, “I am your fairy godmother. 
Now tell me why you are crying.” 

“I wish — I wish,” sobbed the girl, and 
that was all she could say. 

“You wish to go to the ball, don’t you.^^” 
said the fairy. 

“Yes, oh yes,” cried Cinderella, “if I could 
only go once, I should be so happy.” 

“You shall go to-night,” said the fairy. 
“Now do as I tell you. First bring me a 
pumpkin from the garden.” 

Cinderella stopped crying; she ran into 
the garden and there by the fence was the 
biggest pumpkin she had ever seen. She 
took it to the kitchen and the fairy touched 
it with her wand. 


CINDERELLA 


23 


Then a wonderful thing happened: the 
big yellow pumpkin became a fine coach 
covered all over with gold ! 

“Now we must have some horses,” said 
the fairy. “I think there are six mice in 
the mouse trap. Bring them to me.” 

Cinderella did so; the fairy godmother 
opened the trap and as each mouse ran out 
she touched it with her wand. In an instant 
there were six fine black horses hitched to 
the coach ready to start. 

“Now we must have a coachman,” said 
the fairy. “Ah, here is a rat in the meal, 
he will do nicely.” 

She touched the rat with her wand and a 
coachman jumped up into the seat of the 
coach ready to drive. 

“Lizards make good footmen,” said the 
fairy. “See if you can find some under the 
back steps.” 

Cinderella found four and the fairy changed 
them into footmen with fine green coats. 

“Now we are nearly ready,” said the little 
godmother. “Here is a beautiful coach in 
which you shall ride, my Cinderella, six 
splendid horses, a fine coachman, and four 
good footmen.” 


24 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“But how can I go in these clothes?” 
cried Cinderella. “Every one would laugh 
at me.” 

The fairy reached over and touched her 
with her wand and the ragged dress became 
a fine robe of silk all covered with jewels. 
On Cinderella’s head was a crown that 
sparkled with diamonds and on her feet were 
beautiful glass slippers. 

“Now you can go,” said the fairy god- 
mother, “but you must not stay after mid- 
night. For when the clock strikes twelve 
your coach will become a pumpkin again; 
your horses will be mice; your coachman, a 
rat; your footmen, lizards; and you will be 
dressed in your ragged clothes.” 

“I will remember, dear godmother,” re- 
plied Cinderella. 

She then stepped into the coach and was 
driven to the palace of the king. 

Now the king’s son had heard that a prin- 
cess whom nobody knew was coming to the 
ball. So he met Cinderella at the door and 
led her to the great hall. 

When she entered the room every one 
stopped talking, the dancers stopped dancing, 
and the musicans stopped playing. All 


CINDERELLA 


25 


looked at Cinderella, for no one so beautiful 
had ever been seen. 

The prince took her to the king and queen 
and soon he began to dance with her. The 
ladies gazed at her fine clothes and planned how 
they would 
have some 
made just like 
them. 

The evening 
was delightful; 

Cinderella 
found her two 
sisters, and was 
kind and gra- 
cious to them. 

This pleased 
them, for they 
were proud 
to be noticed by so fine a stranger. 

As for the prince, he could not leave Cin- 
derella’s side; he would dance with no one 
else, and he hardly looked at the other ladies. 

The time passed quickly. When Cinderella 
heard the great clock strike a quarter of 
twelve she remembered what the fairy god- 
mother had said. So graciously saying good- 



26 


IN FAIRYLAND 


night, she hurried to her coach, and reached 
home just before midnight. 

Her fine dress disappeared and she was 
again a ragged little cinder maid sitting by 
the fireplace. Again she heard a noise in 
the chimney and the fairy godmother stood 
before her. 

“You did not forget my words, Cinderella, 
and so you may go to the queen’s ball to- 
morrow,” she said. “Goodnight.” 

The two sisters soon came home. Cinder- 
ella met them at the door and pretended to 
be very tired and sleepy. 

“How late you are,” she said. 

“ If you had been at the ball,” said the elder 
sister, “you would not have thought it was 
late. The most beautiful princess ever seen 
was there.” 

“Yes,” said the other, “and she was very 
nice to us. She talked to us more than to 
any one else except the prince.” 

“What was her name.^^” asked Cinderella. 

“Nobody knows,” the elder replied. “The 
prince could not find out. He has offered 
a big sum of money to any one who will tell 
him where she lives.” 

“We are going to the queen’s ball to-morrow 


CINDERELLA 


27 


night,” said the other. “Perhaps the prin- 
cess will be there again.” 

“How I wish I could see her,” said Cin- 
derella. “Dear sister, may I not wear one 
of your dresses and go to-morrow night? 
Please let me go once.” 

“What! Wear one of my good dresses? 
No, indeed ! Besides you would not know how 
to act at a ball. Go back to the kitchen 
where you belong.” 

. Cinderella laughed as she went down the 
stairs. 

“I wonder what they would say if they 
knew,” she said. “I am glad she did not 
lend me a dress.” 

The next night came and the fairy god- 
mother gave her a dress of white satin more 
beautiful than before. 

“Remember twelve o’clock,” were the 
fairy’s last words as Cinderella stepped into 
the coach. 

The queen’s ball was even more delight- 
ful than the king’s ball had been. The 
prince talked to her and danced with her 
and took her out to supper. 

Cinderella was so happy that she forgot 
what the fairy had said until the great clock 


28 


IN FAIRYLAND 


began to strike the hour of midnight. Then 
she jumped up and ran quickly out of the 
room. 

The prince tried to follow her, but he saw 
no one on the steps but a poor little ragged 
girl. As he turned to go back he found one 
of the little glass slippers of the princess in 
the hall. 

Cinderella reached home with nothing left 
of her fine clothes but a little glass slipper, 
the mate of the one that the prince had 
found. 

The sisters were very late in getting home. 

“Did you have a good time.^” asked 
Cinderella. “And was the beautiful princess 
there.^” 

“Yes,” replied the elder, “but she ran 
away at midnight and no one could find 
her.” ' 

“She dropped one of her slippers on the 
steps,” said the other, “and the prince is 
going to marry the one who can wear it.” 

“Just think,” said the elder, “we shall 
try it on and perhaps it may fit one of us!” 

The next day the messenger of the prince 
came to the house. He tried the slipper on 
the elder sister first. How she did try to 


CINDERELLA 


29 


squeeze her foot into it! Then the other 
tried; she squeezed and squeezed, but her 
foot would not go in. 

Just as the messenger was leaving Cin- 
derella came in. 

“Please, kind sir, let me try on the slipper,” 
she said. 

“Go away,” said the elder sister, “you 
must not touch it.” 

“You are only a cinder maid, go back to 
the kitchen,” said the other. 

But the messenger had orders to try it on 
all the young ladies in the land, so he slipped 
it on the foot of Cinderella. It fitted exactly, 
and she drew from her pocket its mate and 
put it on the other foot. 

The fairy godmother now appeared. She 
touched Cinderella with her wand and the 
cinder maid was again dressed in . beautiful 
clothes. 

The two sisters now saw that she was the 
beautiful princess who had been at the balls. 
They knelt at her feet and begged her to 
pardon them for the unkind way in which 
they had treated her. 

Cinderella said she forgave them with all 
her heart and hoped that they would always 


30 


IN FAIRYLAND 


be happy. The messenger now took Cin- 
derella to the palace. The prince thought 
her more lovely than before and wished to be 
married at once. 

The wedding took place in a few days, 
the bells rang merrily, and all the people 
sang the praises of Cinderella and the good 
prince. 



HANS AND THE SAD PRINCESS 


NCE upon a time there was a king 



who had a beautiful daughter. 


But instead of laughing and play- 
ing she was so sad that she never smiled. 

This worried the king. He said, “If any 
one can make my daughter laugh, I will 
give him all the gold he can carry.” 

Many came to the palace to try. They 
told funny stories, they sang funny songs, 
and they played funny tricks, but not once 
did the princess smile. 

Now near the palace there lived a man 
who had three sons. The eldest boy was 
named Peter, the next one Carl, and the 
youngest Hans. Each wondered what he 
could do to make the princess laugh and so 
win the gold. 

One morning Peter said, “I am the oldest. 
To-day I am going to the palace of the king. 
I will make the princess laugh.” 

He started out and on the way he met a 
little old woman who was carrying a heavy 
basket. 


31 


32 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“Good morning, kind sir,” she said, 
you not help me carry my load.^^ ^ 
I have a long way to go and I 
am not very strong.” 

“I have no time to help 
beggars,” said Peter. “I am 
on my way to make the prin- 
cess laugh. Then the king 
will give me all the gold I jy, 
can carry and I shall be 
rich. Get out of my way 
and let me pass.” 


‘Will 



HANS AND THE SAD PRINCESS 33 

The old woman made no reply and Peter 
went on to the palace. 

He did seven funny tricks and then seven 
more, but the sad princess did not smile. 

The next day Carl said: “I am next to the 
oldest. To-day I am going to the palace of 
the king. I think I can make the princess 
laugh.” 

He started out and on the way he saw a 
little old woman who was drawing water 
from a deep well. 

“Good morning, kind sir,” she said. 
“Will you not draw water for me.^ The 
well is deep and I am not very strong.” 

“I have no time to help you,” said Carl. 
“I am on my way to make the princess 
laugh. Get some one else to draw water 
for you.” 

The old woman made no reply and Carl 
went on to the palace. 

He sang seventeen funny songs and then 
seventeen more, but they did not seem funny 
to the princess. 

The next day Hans said, “I am the young- 
est. To-day I am going to the palace of 
the king. Perhaps I can make the princess 
laugh.” 


34 


IN FAIRYLAND 


He started out and on the way he saw a 
little old woman cutting wood. 

“Good woman,” he said, “will you not 
let me help you.^ You do not look very 
strong.” 

The old woman gave Hans the ax and he 
cut and cut and cut. 

“Now I will carry it for you,” said Hans; 
and he carried it to a little house in the woods. 

“You are a good boy,” said the little old 
woman. “I have no money to pay you, but 
I will lend you this wonderful goose. Take 
it in your arms and if any one touches it, say, 
‘Hold fast, hold fast, hold fast.’ Now go 
to the palace of the king.” 

Hans took the goose in his arms and 
started down the road. He had not gone 
far when he met a girl with a basket of eggs. 

“What a pretty goose,” said the girl. 
“Pray give me a feather from its wing.” 

She put out her hand to pull one and as 
she touched the goose, Hans cried, “Hold 
fast, hold fast, hold fast.” 

The girl pulled and pulled, but she could 
not let go, so she had to go with Hans toward 
the palace of the king. 

Soon they met the girl’s mother, who called 


HANS AND THE SAD PRINCESS 35 

to the girl to come home. But the girl could 
not let go of the goose, so the mother caught 
hold of the daughter to pull her away. 

Hans cried, “Hold fast, hold fast, hold 
fast!” and the mother could not let go of 
the daughter. How she did scold! But 
she, too, had to go with Hans toward the 
palace of the king. 

Now the woman’s husband was a very 
great judge. He was so angry when he saw 
his wife going along the street in such a way 
that he took hold of her to make her go 
home. 

“Hold fast, hold fast, hold fast!” cried 
Hans, and the judge had to follow his wife 
toward the palace of the king. 

Next they met a miller who did not like 
the judge. He laughed and laughed at the 
funny procession. Then he poked the judge 
with his cane. 

“Hold fast, hold fast, hold fast!” cried 
Hans. The cane stuck to the judge and 
the miller could not let go of the cane. So 
he joined the procession and went toward 
the palace of the king. 

The miller’s boy tried to pull his father 
away. 


36 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“Hold fast, hold fast, hold fast!” cried 
Hans, and the boy could not let go. 

The boy’s dog came out and barked at 
them. He caught his master’s jacket in 
his teeth and he went along, too. 

At last they came to the palace of the 
king. Hans and the goose, the girl and her 
mother, the judge and the miller, his boy and 
the dog went through the courtyard, up 
the broad stairs, and into the big room 
where the sad princess sat. 

They marched around the room once. 
Hans whistled and the goose cackled, the 
girl dropped her basket of eggs, her mother 
scolded and tried harder than ever to get 
away, the judge stamped his feet and 
pulled, the miller shook his cane, the boy 
cried, and the dog barked. 

Then the princess began to smile. They 
marched around again and she laughed. 
They marched around the third time and 
she laughed until she cried. 

“You shall have your gold,” said the king, 
“as much as you can carry. But what are 
you going to do with these people.^” 

Hans stroked the head of the goose and 
cried, “Let go, let go, let go!” 


HANS AND THE SAD PRINCESS 


37 


Then the girl and her mother, the judge 
and the miller, and the boy and his dog all 
ran away home as fast as they could. The 
goose flew back to the little old woman who 
lived in the wood and was never heard of 
again. 

Soon after that Hans went to the palace 
to live, and some say that when he grew up 
he married the princess, who was no longer 
sad. 




lived a young fisher 

lad, named Taro. Early every morning he 
went out in his boat and he would catch more 
fish in a day than his comrades would in a 
week. 

His playmates sometimes made fun of 
him, but every one loved Taro because he 
was gentle and kind. 

One evening as he was going home he 

38 



TARO, THE FISHER LAD 


39 


passed a group of children who were teasing 
a tortoise. 

“Boys,” said Taro, “do not do that. You 
will kill the tortoise.” 

“We do not care,” said the boys, “we are 
having fun.” 

And they began to beat and pound the 
tortoise. 

Then Taro said: “I like tortoises. Will 
you sell this one to me.^” 

“What will you give us.^” asked one boy. 

“This piece of money,” said Taro. 

“All right,” said the boys, “you may 
have it.” 

Taro picked up the tortoise and carried it 
down to the sea. He put it into the water 
and it quickly swam away. 

The next morning Taro went out as usual 
in his boat. He passed the other fishers and 
went far, far out upon the blue water. Some- 
thing seemed to lead his boat on and on when 
suddenly he heard some one call, “Taro! 
Taro!” 

He stood up and looked in every direction, 
but there was no boat near and the land was 
far away. Again the voice called, “Taro! 
Taro!” 


40 


IN FAIRYLAND 


This time he looked down into the water 
and there by the side of the boat was the 
tortoise he had rescued the day before. 

“Well, Tortoise,” said Taro, “was it you 
who called me.^” 

The tortoise nodded his head several times 
and said: “Yes, it was I. Yesterday you 
saved my life and I have come to thank 
you.” 

“That is very polite of you,” said Taro. 
“Will you not come into the boat.^ Come up 
and dry your back in the sun.” 

The tortoise climbed into the boat and 
sat upon the seat and talked to Taro. 

“Have you ever seen the Sea King’s 
palace.^” he asked. 

“No,” said Taro. “I have never seen it, 
but I have heard of it many times. Do you 
know where it is?” 

“It is at the bottom of the sea,” said the 
Tortoise. “I will take you there if you 
wish to go.” 

“I should like to go,” said the fisher lad, 
“but I cannot swim so far.” 

“You do not need to swim,” said the 
Tortoise. “I will take you there on my 
back.” 


TARO, THE FISHER LAD 


41 


“That is not pos- 
sible,” said Taro. 
“Your back is too 
small for me to ride 
upon.” 

As he said these 
words he saw the tor- 
toise’s back become 
larger and larger until 
it was wide enough for 
a man to sit upon. 

“Get on,” said the 
tortoise. 

Taro did so, the 
tortoise slipped from 
the boat into the 
w*ater, and they went 
down, down, below 
the blue waves. 

They traveled all 
day and then Taro 
saw before them a 
great palace built of 
coral and pearls. 

Soon they came to 
the gate and the tor- 
toise said: “Behold 



42 


IN FAIRYLAND 


the palace of the Sea King! This fish is the 
gatekeeper; he will show you the way.” 

Taro got off the tortoise and followed the 
fish who swam slowly before him. They 
passed through the gateway of shells and 
up a broad avenue. Many fish came to 
meet them and all bowed low before the 
stranger. 

Before the palace stood rows and rows of 
soldier fish, and they, too, bowed low as 
Taro passed. 

At the door was a princess more beautiful 
than any maiden Taro had ever seen. She 
wore a dress of soft green like the under side 
of a wave, and her long hair streamed over 
her shoulders. When she spoke her voice 
sounded like soft music over the water. 

Taro could not speak, but only gazed at 
her in wonder. The princess took him by 
the hand and led him to a high seat at the 
end of the hall. 

“Taro,” she said, “you are welcome in 
the palace of the Sea King. Yesterday I 
was a tortoise and you saved my life. Now 
if you wish, you shall stay here, I will be 
your wife, and we shall always be happy.” 

The fisher lad looked at her sweet face and 


TARO, THE FISHER LAD 


43 


answered, “There is nothing I could wish 
for more than to be with you in this beau- 
tiful place.” 

While he was speaking, music sounded and 
fish came in carrying trays of good things 
to eat. The wedding followed and in the 
kingdom there was great rejoicing. 

The happiness of Taro was so great that 
for a while he forgot all about his parents 
and his home and the land he had left behind. 
At the end of the third day he remembered. 

“I must go back to my home,” he said. 
“My parents are old; they need me. I 
must go back.” 

“Do not leave me,” cried the princess. 
“Are you not happy here.^ Stay here 
always by my side.” 

But Taro said again: “My parents are 
old; they need me. I must go back.” 

The princess wept and said: “You shall 
go to-morrow, but promise that you will come 
back to me. When you wish to return go 
down to the sea and open this little box.” 

The next morning a large tortoise carried 
Taro far away toward the rising sun. They 
traveled all day and then Taro saw before 


44 


IN FAIRYLAND 


him the blue hills of Japan. Soon they came 
to the land, and Taro stepped ashore, but 
the tortoise swam away. 

Taro gazed about him with wonder; the 
hills were the same, the shore was the same, 
but the houses and boats were different. 
He looked for his comrades; they were no- 
where to be seen. In their places were 
strangers who looked at him curiously. 

Some men and boys came toward him. 

“See what a funny old man,” cried one of 
the boys. 

“I am not an old man,” cried Taro. “I 
am Taro, the fisher lad who went away 
three days ago.” 

He tried to straighten up and show how 
tall he was, but his back was bent; he tried 
to walk, but he tottered and nearly fell. 
His hands trembled and his voice was weak. 
He was a very, very old man. 

“Did you say you were once Taro, the 
fisher lad?” asked a man. 

“Yes, yes, I am Taro,” was the answer. 

“That is strange,” said the man. “I have 
heard a story that one day three hundred 
years ago Taro, the fisher lad, went to sea and 
never came back. But you cannot be Taro.” 


TARO, THE FISHER LAD 45 

“I am Taro,” cried the old man. “And 
I have been gone only three days.” 

The man laughed and passed on. 

Taro wandered through the village streets. 
The dogs barked at him and the children fol- 
lowed him because he was so old. His home 
was gone ; every one he knew was gone. 

He went back to the shore and sat down 
to think. Those wonderful days in the pal- 
ace of the Sea King had not been days at 
all. Each day had been a hundred years! 

How he longed to return to the beautiful 
princess. He thought of the box she had 
given him. He placed it on the sand before 
him and lifted the lid. 

At first the box seemed empty, then a soft 
purple cloud came out. It covered the face 
of Taro and it covered his whole body. 

He was no longer very old, — his hair 
became black, his back was straight, he was 
again a strong and handsome young man. 

A deep sleep came upon him and he sank 
down on the sand close to the water’s edge. 

Then the waves took him in their arms 
and carried him back to the land below the 
sea where no one ever grows old and where 
a hundred years are as a day. 


DIAMONDS AND TOADS 


v 





T 


T 


NCE upon a time there was a widow 



who had two daughters. The elder 


child was much like the mother 
in looks and actions. Both mother and 
daughter were so disagreeable and cross 
that it was hard for any one to live with 
them. But the younger daughter was as 
sweet and good as she was beautiful. 

Now the mother loved the elder, who was 
like herself, but she disliked the younger and 
made her do all the hard work in the house. 
She washed and ironed and scrubbed and 
baked while the elder sister sat in the parlor 
or slept on her soft bed. 


46 


DIAMONDS AND TOADS 47 

Every morning the younger child went to 
the spring that was a mile from the house 
to get a pitcher of water. 

One day when she had filled her pitcher, 
an old woman came to her and said: 

“Will you not give me a drink? I am 
tired and thirsty.” 

“Gladly will I give you water, for that is 
all I have to give,” answered the girl. “Sit 
here and you shall have a drink that is fresh 
and cool.” 

And she held the pitcher so that the old 
woman could easily drink. 

“You speak kind words and you do good 
deeds,” said the old woman. “In return 
I shall give you a fairy gift. At every word 
you speak there shall fall from your lips 
either a flower or a jewel.” 

The girl filled her pitcher again and hur- 
ried home. Her mother met her at the door 
and scolded her for being gone so long. 

“I am very sorry,” replied the girl and 
then she stopped in surprise, for as she spoke 
two roses and two diamonds fell from her lips. 

“What is this that I see?” cried the mother. 
“When you speak diamonds and roses come 
from your lips. How has this happened?” 


48 


IN FAIRYLAND 


Then the girl told of the old woman at 
the spring who asked for a drink and of the 
wonderful fairy gift. And when she finished 
speaking roses and jewels lay all about her 
on the steps. 

“This is very wonderful,” said the mother. 
“I must send my dear elder daughter to the 
spring! Come, daughter,” she called, “come 
and see what has happened to your sister. 
Now, you shall take the pitcher and go to 
the spring for water and when an old woman 
speaks to you be sure to answer her gra- 
ciously.” 

“I do not want to go to the spring,” said 
the elder daughter, “it is too far and the sun 
is too hot.” 

The mother said, “You must go, and at 
once.” 

The girl grumbled, but at last took the 
pitcher and went slowly toward the spring. 
When she reached there a young woman 
with beautiful clothes begged for a drink. 

“The day is warm and I am very tired,” 
she said. “I pray you draw me a drink from 
the cool spring.” 

“Why should I get water for you.^” asked 
the girl. “I have all I can do to draw it 


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DIAMONDS AND TOADS 49 

for myself. I was sent here to give a drink 
to an old woman who can give fairy gifts.” 

“I, too, can give fairy gifts,” said the young 
woman, “and since you speak nothing but 
rude and unkind words I will give you this 
gift: at every word you speak, there shall 
fall from your lips a viper or a toad.” 

The girl waited awhile for the old woman, 
but, as she did not come, she filled her 
pitcher and went home. 

Her mother came to meet her and cried, 
“Well, daughter, did you see the old woman 
and did she give you a fairy gift?” 

“I saw no old woman,” replied the girl 
and as she spoke three toads and two vipers 
fell to the ground. 

“What dreadful thing is this!” cried the 
mother. “It is your sister who has caused 
this trouble and she shall pay for it.” 

She treated the younger daughter cruelly 
an(^ at last drove her from the house. The 
poor girl had nowhere to go, so she hid herself 
ir the forest. 

There the king’s son found her one day 
when he was hunting. He stopped his horse 
and asked why she was there alone and why 
she cried. 


50 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“My mother has driven me from home,” 
replied the girl, “and I have nowhere to go.” 

The prince was amazed to see the diamonds 
and roses that fell from the girl’s lips with 
each word that she spoke. He got down from 
his horse and she told all of her sad story. 

Then the prince took her to his father’s 
palace and not long after they were happily 
married. 

“For,” said he, “no other maiden could 
bring me such riches as this one with the 
kind words that fall like diamonds and roses 
from her lips.” 

As for the older sister, she made herself 
so hated that no one cared to be near her. 
At last she went away by herself in the 
woods and was never heard of again. 



BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 


PART I 



^HERE was once a rich merchant who 


had six children, three boys and 


X three girls. The three daughters 
were all handsome, but the youngest was 
so very beautiful that every one called her 
“Little Beauty.” 

The two elder sisters were proud; they 
went every day to balls and plays and 
they made fun of Beauty when she stayed 
at home to read or do some useful work. 

Now it happened that the father suddenly 
lost all his money and had nothing left but 
a small cottage in the country. 

He called his children to him and said, 
“My children, we must go to live in the 
little cottage; we have no money so we 
shall have to work for our living.” 

The two elder daughters said that they 
did not know how to work and that they 
did not want to leave the city, but Beauty 
said that she would be glad to go wherever 
her father went. 


51 


52 


IN FAIRYLAND 


In a short time they moved to the country. 
The father and the three sons worked in the 
fields; they plowed the ground and sowed 
the seed and cared for the garden. Beauty 
did most of the work in the house. She rose 
early every morning, made the fires, cleaned 
the rooms, and got breakfast. The two 
sisters slept late; they were cross most of 
the time and were unkind and rude to Beauty. 

After they had lived this way about a 
year, the father received a letter saying that 
one of his ships had just come to port. He 
thought that the ship was lost long ago and 
he was much surprised at the good news. 
The elder sisters were very happy, for they 
thought that they might now move back to 
the city and again have money and fine 
dresses. 

The merchant at once made ready to go to 
see the ship. The elder sisters begged him to 
bring them new hats and clothes of all kinds. 
Beauty listened to them but said nothing. 

“What shall I bring you, my child 
asked the father. 

“Dear father, I want nothing but some 
roses,” answered the girl. “You know we 
have none in our garden.” 


BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 


53 


The merchant bade them all good-by and 
set out on his journey. 

When he reached the port he heard sad 
news. The ship had caught fire and burned 
soon after reaching the shore. There was 
nothing that the merchant could do, so with 
a heavy heart he started homeward. 

When he had gone some distance a great 
storm came up. The wind blew, the snow 
and rain beat about him, and his horse 
wandered far from the road. It grew very 
dark and the merchant feared that he should 
die of cold and hunger. 

All at once he saw a light in the woods 
but it seemed a long way off. He turned 
his horse and rode toward it. As he went 
on the road became broad and smooth, 
the snow stopped falling, and he saw not 
far ahead a large and splendid palace. 

He came to the great gates and found them 
standing wide open. Much surprised, the 
merchant rode through, hoping to find the 
servants, but there was no one to be seen 
in the yard. He went to the stable; there 
were the empty stalls with plenty of hay and 
feed but no grooms or stable boys. 

The hungry horse at once began eating 


54 


IN FAIRYLAND 


and the merchant walked toward the great 
house. The doors were open and he passed 
into the hall. All was quiet. There was 
not a sound of any living thing except the 
footsteps of the merchant. 

In the dining hall a log was burning in the 
fireplace and there the merchant stopped 
to dry his wet clothing. Near by was a 
table upon which was a good hot supper. 

“Surely, the master of the house will be 
here soon,” said the merchant to himself. 

He waited some time, then as no one came 
he sat down to the table. 

“Surely,”* he said, “the master of the 
house would not blame a hungry traveler for 
taking food.” 

It was the best meal he had eaten in many 
days and he arose feeling much better. He 
passed through room after room, but there 
were no signs of master or servants. At 
last he came to a fine bedroom and here he 
decided to remain for the night. 

“Surely,” he said, “the master of the 
house would not blame a tired traveler for 
resting in one of his rooms.” 

It was late when he awoke the next morn- 
ing. He reached for his clothes, but instead 


BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 


55 


of the wet, muddy ones he had taken off 
the night before, he found a fine new suit. 

“This wonderful palace must belong to 
some good fairy,” he said, “who feels sorry 
for my troubles.” 

He dressed and went back to the dining 
room where a fine breakfast had been placed 
on the table. He ate and then passed out 
of doors. Instead of the snow and ice of 
the night before he found a beautiful garden 
filled with all kinds of beautiful flowers. 
Birds sang in the trees, a fountain sparkled 
in the sunshine, and the air was sweet and 
warm. As he passed great bushes covered 
with roses he remembered that Beauty had 
asked him to bring her some. 

“Surely,” he said, “the master of the house 
will let me take a few of these sweet blossoms 
to her.” 

He broke off a small branch and at the 
same moment he heard a loud noise and saw 
a dreadful beast coming toward him. 

“Why are you picking my roses .^” roared 
the beast in a terrible voice. “Did I not 
save you from the storm last night.^ Did 
I not feed you and give you a place to sleep 
And now you steal my roses that I love 


56 


IN FAIRYLAND 


more than anything else. Whoever touches 
them shall die!” 

The merchant, greatly frightened, fell upon 
his knees and cried, “Kind sir, I did not mean 
to steal your roses. I picked only a few for 
one of my daughters. Pray forgive me and 
let me go my way.” 

The beast thought a moment and then 
replied, “I will forgive you and let you go 
home if one of your daughters will come to 
die in your place. You may remain at home 
a month; then either you or your daughter 
must return.” 

The merchant did not intend that one of 
his daughters should die for him, but he longed 
to see them all again, so he said, “I promise 
that at the end of a month I will return or 
one of my daughters shall come in my place.” 

“That is well,” said the beast. “Now go 
to the room where you slept. Take the chest 
that you will find there, fill it with gold or any- 
thing you wish, and I will send it to your home. 
Take with you the roses you have picked.” 

The merchant returned to the bedroom 
and there in the middle of the floor was a 
large chest. He filled it with gold and silver, 
closed the lid, and locked it. 


BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 


57 


Before the door stood a splendid horse 
which the merchant mounted. The horse 
carried him quickly down the broad road 
and away through the woods. 

PABT II 

The next day the merchant reached his 
home. As he drew near his children came 
out to meet him. He gave the roses to 
Beauty, saying, “Here are the roses you asked 
me to bring, but you little know what they 
have cost.” 

Then he told of the strange palace, the 
garden of beautiful flowers, the picking of 
the roses, and the words of the terrible beast. 

“And now, my children,” he said as the 
tears ran down his face, “I can stay but a 
month and then I must return to die.” 

The older sisters began to cry and to blame 
Beauty because she had asked for roses. “See 
what trouble you have made,” they said. 

“Do not weep for father,” replied Beauty. 
“He shall not die. I intend to go in his 
place.” 

The brothers begged her not to think of 
such a thing. “We will go and kill this 
beast,” they said. 


58 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“That cannot be,” said the father, “for 
he has magic power. But, Beauty, I can- 
not let you go. You are young and I am 
old. It is best that I should die.” 

“I shall go when the month is past,” replied 
the girl. 

The merchant tried to reason with Beauty, 
but she only said, “I shall go when the 
month is past.” 

The days went by quickly. The sisters 
pretended that they were sorry to part with 
Beauty, but in their hearts they were glad to 
be rid of her. 

The month came to an end and Beauty 
and her father made ready to start for the 
palace of the beast. The sisters made be- 
lieve that they were crying and the father 
and brothers cried in earnest. 

Early in the morning the merchant and 
Beauty mounted their horses and rode bravely 
away. When it was nearly dark they reached 
the great palace. 

The gates were open and the horses went 
to the stable while Beauty and her father 
walked up the broad steps to the great hall. 
There they found a table filled with many 
kinds of rich food. Plates were laid for two. 


BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 59 

so they sat down, but the merchant was so 
sad that he ate very little. 

When they had nearly finished their supper 
they heard a great noise and the father began 
to bid his poor child farewell, for he knew 
that the beast was coming. 

When Beauty first saw the frightful form 
of the beast she was greatly terrified. 

The beast looked at her and then said, 
“Were you willing to come.^” 

“Yes,” answered Beauty trembling. 

“Then you are a good girl and I am much 
obliged to you.” 

Beauty was surprised at this answer and 
her fear became less. 

The beast then turned to her father and 
said, “You may stay here to-night, but to- 
morrow morning you must leave, never to 
return. Good night.” The beast turned 
and went away as he had come. 

The merchant again begged his daughter 
to go home and let him remain, but she 
refused. They then went to their rooms 
and were soon fast asleep. 

Beauty dreamed that a beautiful lady came 
to her and said, “Do not be afraid. Beauty; 
you shall have a reward for your goodness.” 


60 


IN FAIRYLAND 


When Beauty awoke the next morning 
she told her father of the dream and it seemed 
to cheer him. He still wished to remain, 
but Beauty soon made him mount his horse 
and ride away. 

When he was out of sight, poor Beauty 
began to weep, but being a brave girl she 
soon dried her tears. 

As she passed down one of the long halls 
she came to a door on which was written 
“Beauty’s Room.” She was greatly sur- 
prised and quickly opened it. There was the 
most beautiful room she had ever seen. In 
it were sweet flowers in vases, bookcases 
filled with books, musical instruments, and 
easy chairs. 

“The beast does not mean to kill me very 
soon,” said Beauty, “or he would not give 
me all these fine things.” 

Here she passed the day and when evening 
came she thought of her home. 

“Oh,” she cried, “how I wish I could see 
my poor father and know what he is doing.” 

Just then she noticed a looking-glass which 
stood near by and in it she saw a picture of 
her old father as he reached the little cot- 
tage. Her sisters came out to meet him and 


BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 


61 


though they tried to look sorry, it was easy 
to see that they were glad. The picture 
stayed a minute and then was gone. 

It was time for supper; candles in jeweled 
candlesticks lighted themselves all over the 
house. Beauty ate at the table which was 
set for one and just as she finished she heard 
the beast coming. She was greatly frightened 
and wondered if he was going to kill her. 

“Good evening, Beauty,” the beast said. 
“How have you passed the day.^” 

Beauty trembled, but she told him of the 
many rooms she had been in and the won- 
derful things she had seen. 

“Do you think you can be happy here.^” 
asked the beast. Beauty replied that any 
one would be hard to please who could not 
be happy in such a beautiful place. 

The beast stayed an hour and Beauty 
began to think that he was not nearly so 
terrible as she had supposed at first. 

When he got up to leave he said in his 
gruff voice, “Beauty, will you marry me?” 

Beauty was afraid that she might make 
him angry, but she answered, “No, Beast.” 
• “Then good night, Beauty,” said the beast, 
and walked slowly away. 


62 


IN FAIRYLAND 


When he was gone Beauty began to feel 
sorry for him. 

“How sad,” she said, “that he should 
have such an ugly form.” 

Three months passed quickly. Every eve- 
ning the beast came to see her and stayed an 
hour. Every day she found out something of 
his kindness and goodness. Instead of dread- 
ing his coming she began to look forward to 
the time when she should see him again. But 
every night before he left her he said, “ Beauty, 
will you marry me.^” and every time she an- 
swered, “No, Beast.” 

Beauty often looked in the magic looking- 
glass. She saw that her sisters were married 
and that her brothers had gone to the war. 
This left her poor old father all alone. One 
morning as she watched she saw that he was 
sick. The next day he was worse and that 
night she asked the beast to let her go home. 

“Dear Beast,” she said, “pray let me go 
to visit my father. My sisters are married 
and my brothers have gone to the war. My 
father is all alone and he is sick. I promise 
that I will return in a week.” 

“If you leave me. Beauty,” cried the beast, 
“I shall die of grief.” 


BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 63 

But Beauty begged so hard that at last the 
beast said, “You shall be with your father 
to-morrow morning. But do not forget your 
promise to come back in a week. When 
you wish to return put your ring on the table 
before you go to bed. Good-by, Beauty.” 
The beast sighed and walked slowly away. 

When Beauty awoke the next morning 
she found herself in her old home. Her 
father put his arms around her and kissed 
her a thousand times. He said that he 
already felt better and that he would soon 
be well since he had seen her. 

Her sisters heard that she was at home and 
both came to make a visit. They were as 
unhappy with their husbands as they had 
been in their father’s home. 

When they saw Beauty dressed like a 
princess and looking so charming they were 
angry and jealous. 

“Why should she have so many fine 
things.^” they said. 

“I have a plan, sister,” said the elder. 
“You know the beast told her that she might 
stay a week. Now let us keep her here longer; 
then when she goes home the beast will be very 
angry and he may do some dreadful thing.” 


64 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“That is a good plan,” said the other. 
“Let us pretend that she is very dear to us.” 

So the sisters went to Beauty and made 
believe that they loved her very much. 
This made Beauty so happy that the days 
passed quickly. When the week was ended 
the sisters begged her to stay longer. They 
pretended to cry and said that they could 
not let her go. 

At last Beauty agreed to remain another 
week, but somehow she felt sad. Every 
day she thought of the beast and wondered 
what he was doing. She feared that he 
might grieve while she was away and she 
longed to see him again. She met many 
people at her father’s house, but no one was so 
kind and good and thoughtful as her beast. 

The tenth night after she had left him she 
dreamed that she was in the garden of the 
palace and that the beast lay on the grass 
dying. Beauty awoke greatly frightened. 
She arose and quickly put her ring on the 
table. 

The next morning she found herself back 
in her room at the palace. She waited 
eagerly for the evening when she hoped 
to see the beast. The day seemed very 


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BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 65 

long, but at last supper time came. She 
listened anxiously for his steps but he did 
not come at the usual time. Nine o’clock 
came and ten o’clock. Then Beauty re- 
membered her dream. 

She ran quickly out into the garden and 
there lying on the grass near the fountain 
she found the beast. He did not move 
and seemed to be dead. 

Beauty threw her arms around his neck 
and begged him to speak to her. 

He opened his eyes and said, “You forgot 
your promise. Beauty. I could not live 
without you, but now that I have seen you 
again I shall die happy.” 

“No, dear Beast,” cried Beauty, “you 
shall not die; you shall live and we shall be 
married.” 

As Beauty spoke these words, sweet music 
sounded through the air and a great light 
shone around, so strong that Beauty for a 
moment covered her eyes with her hands. 
When she looked up, the beast was nowhere 
to be seen, but by her side stood a handsome 
young prince who began to thank her for 
what she had done for him. 

“But where is my poor Beast.^” cried 


66 


IN FAIRYLAND 


Beauty. “I want him more than any one 
else.” 

“I am he,” replied the prince. “A wicked 
fairy changed me to the form of the beast 
and said that I must remain so until a beau- 
tiful lady should agree to marry me. You 
have saved me, and all that I have is yours.” 

So Beauty and the prince were married 
and were happy all their lives. 



THE GIANT’S BABY 



NCE upon a time long, long ago a 


poor farmer by the name of Roger 


was going home from work. The 


snow fell, the wind blew, and it was very 
cold. The man wished himself by his warm 
fireside when suddenly he heard a sound that 
made him stand still and listen. 

“What a strange cry,” he said to himself. 
“Can it be that some poor child is lost in the 
storm I will see if I can be of help.” 

He did not have far to look, for under the 
hedge in a dry ditch lay the biggest baby 
boy the man had ever seen. The child 
was nearly as large as Roger himself but bald 
and toothless as a tiny babe. 

“You are a strange, strange creature,” said 
Roger. “I wonder how heavy you are.” 

He picked the child up in his arms, but 
the weight was almost more than he could 
carry. 

“You will die if I leave you here,” he said, 
“so I must try to take you home.” 


67 


68 


IN FAIRYLAND 


The big baby put his strong fat arms 
around Roger’s neck and cried so loud that 
the man was deaf and dizzy. Thus they 
started toward home, but the load seemed 
to grow heavier and heavier. Often the 
man stopped to rest, but the baby clung so 
tight that he could not put down his great 
burden. 

At last he reached his home. Joan, his 
wife, opened the door, he staggered into the 
kitchen, and put the great child down by the 
fire. 

“What in the world have you there.^” 
cried his wife. 

“It is a poor baby that I found in a ditch 
under the hedge,” replied Roger. “I could 
not leave him there in the storm so I carried 
him home. And a heavy load he is, too.” 

“That is no baby,” said Joan. “Who ever 
saw such a big baby? And what a dreadful 
noise he makes!” 

“ He is a baby,” said the man. “He cannot 
stand, his head is bald, and he has no teeth. 
Of course, he is a baby.” 

“But how do you expect to feed such a 
child?” asked the wife. “Look at the size 
of his mouth! It Avill take all the milk from 


THE GIANT’S BABY 


69 


one cow to fill him up. He must be a giant’s 
baby. Take him away. We cannot keep 
him.” 

But the man said, “I cannot take him 
away. He would die in the storm to-night. 
Give him some milk and perhaps he will 
stop crying.” 

The woman brought a cup of milk. The 
child drank it eagerly and begged for more. 
Cup after cup followed, but at last the cries 
grew quiet and the giant’s baby fell asleep. 

“We will call him Tom,” said the man. 
“Perhaps a giant’s baby may bring us luck.” 

“Luck, indeed,” said the wife. “We shall 
be lucky if we have anything to eat after 
feeding him.” 

The baby grew fast and oh, how he did 
eat! Yet somehow everything seemed better 
at the farm. The cows never gave so much 
milk, and although Tom drank gallons there 
was still plenty. The hens laid so many 
eggs that Joan carried many baskets full 
to market. The garden was filled with good 
things and the orchard trees were loaded 
with fruit. A swarm of bees made their 
hive in the roof of the barn so there was 
honey for all winter. 


70 


IN FAIRYLAND 


The farmer said, “You see, wife, the giant’s 
baby has brought us good luck, for never 
before have we had so much.” 

Joan knew that this was true, yet she 
grudged Tom every mouthful that he ate. 



Soon the young giant became so large 
that he could not get into the house but had 
to sleep in the barn. He sat upon a log 
that could not break as chairs did, and he 
ate from a table made from a huge piece of 
wood. But still he grew and grew. 

After a while he began to work on the 
farm. Here he was worth a dozen laborers. 
He plowed more ground in a day than ten 


THE GIANT’S BABY 


71 


men could in a week, and he sometimes pulled 
the heavy wagon in place of the horse. 

The farmer soon became quite rich, but 
the wife made Tom very unhappy. She 
scolded because he ate so much, she blamed 
him because his clothes wore out, and she spoke 
harshly whenever he broke a plate or cup. 

At last Tom could stand it no longer, so 
early one morning he left the farm and went 
away to the hills where other giants lived. 

Now when Roger awoke and found that 
Tom was gone he was very sad. 

“Mark my words,” he said to his wife, 
“Tom brought us luck and Tom will take it 
away.” 

“Nonsense,” said the wife; “the giant’s 
baby may have brought us luck, but the 
full-grown giant cannot take it away.” 

But bad luck did come. The hay stacks 
and wheat caught fire and were burned up; 
the cattle and sheep became sick and many 
of them died; the hens stopped laying eggs; 
and even the bees left their hive in the roof 
of the barn. 

“If our dear Tom would only come back,” 
said Roger, “all might yet be well. I wonder 
why he left us as he did.” 


72 


IN FAIRYLAND 


Then Joan was very sorrowful and she 
said, “Husband, it was I who drove him 
away. I blamed him and scolded him and 
I did not give him enough to eat. I have 
been very wicked.” 

Roger was much surprised and grieved, 
but still he hoped that some day the giant 
might return. 

Now up in the mountains Tom was visit- 
ing with another giant who lived in a great 
cave. All winter he stayed there, but when 
spring came he began to long for the little 
farm in the valley. He remembered the 
kindness of Roger, he forgot the harshness 
of Joan, he thought of the cattle and sheep, 
and he wished to be there again. 

One morning after telling his friend good-by, 
he started back toward Roger’s home. It 
was growing dark when he reached the farm. 
He crept quietly to the house and looked 
in at the window. There a sad sight met 
his eyes. Roger was sick in bed and Joan 
was sitting by his side weeping. 

Tom called to them and great was their 
joy as they welcomed him home. 

With the return of the giant good fortune 
came back to the farm. The farmer soon 


THE GIANT’S BABY 


73 


got well and he and Tom plowed the fields 
and planted large crops. Soon many cows 
and sheep were in the meadow; the hens 
filled the nests with eggs; and the bees 
came back to the roof of the barn. 

Then Roger and Tom built a very large 
house so that they all could live together. 
As for Joan she was never so happy as when 
baking huge pies and puddings or making 
new clothes for her dear giant. 



SNOW-WHITE 


NE day when the snow was falling 



a queen sat at her window sewing. 


As she worked she pricked her 
finger and a drop of blood fell on the 


snow. 


As the queen looked at it she said, “If 
I had a little daughter, I should wish that 
she might be as white as the snow with 
cheeks as red as blood and with hair and eyes 
as black as ebony.” 

Not long after this a beautiful child was 
born to the queen. Her skin was white, 
her cheeks were red, and her hair and eyes 
were black. The queen remembered her 
wish and she called the baby Snow-white. 

Not long after this the good queen died 
and the king married again. 

The new queen was proud of her beauty 
and did nothing all day long but think of 
her good looks. She brought with her to 
the palace a wonderful mirror. Every morn- 
ing she would stand before it and say. 


74 


SNOW-WHITE 


75 


“Mirror, mirror on the wall, 

Am I most beautiful of all?” 

And the mirror would reply, 

“Queen, thou art so very fair. 

No one can with thee compare.” 

Then the queen would smile and go away 
happy. 

But one day when she asked the question, 
the mirror replied, 

“Queen, thou art fair to see. 

But the child. Snow-white, will be 
Many times more beautiful than thee.” 

This made the queen angry. She said, 
“The child shall not be more beautiful than 
II What can I do? What can I do?” 

She thought for many days and then sent 
for a hunter who lived near a great forest. 

“Hunter,” she said, “I want you to take 
the child. Snow-white, away. Take her far 
into the forest and leave her there until she 
starves or the wild beasts kill her. Do this 
and I will pay you well.” 

So the next day the hunter took the child 
into the forest and left her. 

When Snow-white found herself alone, she 
was greatly frightened. She ran through 


76 


IN FAIRYLAND 


the bushes and climbed over the rocks by 
the brook, but she could find no one. Wild 
beasts sprang out from their dens, but they 
only watched her and did her no harm. 

When she had gone a long, long way she 
saw before her a queer little house. She 
went up to it and found the door open; no 
one seemed to be at home. She waited for 
some one to come, but after a while she 
went inside. 

In the middle of the room stood a little table 
covered with a fine white tablecloth ready for 
supper. There were seven little plates, seven 
little knives and forks, and seven little cups. 
Around the table were seven little chairs and 
by the wall stood seven little beds. 

Poor Snow-white was so hungry that she 
ate something from each little plate and 
drank from each little cup. Then she tried 
each little bed and at last fell asleep in the 
seventh. 

When it was dark the owners of the house 
came home. They were seven little dwarfs 
who dug in the mountain for gold. They 
lighted seven little lamps and then the first 
little dwarf said, “Some one has been sitting 
in my little chair.” 


SNOW-WHITE 


77 


The second said, “Some one has been 
eating from my little plate.” 

The third said, “Some one has been drink- 
ing out of my cup.” 

The fourth said, “Some one has used my 
fork.” 

The fifth one said, “Some one has used 
my knife.” 

The sixth one said, “Some one has eaten 
part of my bread.” 

The seventh one said, “Some one has eaten 
part of my meat.” 

Then the first one looked at his bed and 
saw that some one had been lying there. All 
the other little dwarfs ran to look at their 
beds and when the seventh came to his he 
called the others to come quickly. They 
held their lamps high above their heads 
and the light fell upon the beautiful sleeping 
child. 

“How beautiful she is,” they cried, and 
they spoke softly so as not to disturb her. 

In the morning when Snow-white awoke 
and saw all the little dwarfs she was terribly 
frightened. But they spoke kindly to her 
and asked her name. 

“I am Snow-white,” she replied. 


78 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“Why did you come here?” they asked. 

Then she told them of her stepmother 
and how the hunter had taken her far out 
into the forest and left her. She told them 
how she had found their little house and had 
eaten from each little plate and tried each 
little bed. 

The dwarfs talked together for a little 
while, then one said, “Do you think you 
could keep house for us?” 

Another said, “Can you cook and sew?” 

Another said, “Can you keep everything 
clean and neat?” 

“I will try,” said Snow-white, and the 
dwarfs said that she might stay and live 
with them. 

She washed the dishes and made the beds, 
she swept the floor and baked the bread and 
cakes, she set the table and had supper ready 
every night when they came home. 

And every morning when the dwarfs went 
away they said, “Lock the door, and what- 
ever you do, don’t let any one in while we 
are gone.” For the dwarfs loved Snow- 
white and they feared the queen might harm 
her. 

Now the queen thought that Snow-white 


SNOW-WHITE 


79 


was dead and she felt quite sure that there 
was no one in the world so beautiful as her- 
self. 

One day she said to the mirror, 

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall. 

Am I most beautiful of all?” 

And the mirror replied, 

“At home there is none like thee. 

But over the mountain is Snow-white free. 
Many times fairer than thou, is she.” 

The queen was very angry when she heard 
this. She stamped her feet and she spoke 
crossly to all who came near her. At last 
she thought of a plan: she painted wrinkles 
on her face and she made her hair white. 
Then she dressed like a poor old woman, 
took a basket on her arm, and went away 
over the mountain. At last she came to 
the home of the seven little dwarfs. 

She knocked at the door and cried, “I 
have prptty things to sell. I have pretty 
things to sell. Who will buy my pretty 
things.^” 

Snow-white peeped through the window 
and said, “What have you in your basket, 
old lady?” 


80 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“Oh, everything that is pretty,” was the 
answer, “pins and rings and fans and many 
fine things.” 

“Surely,” thought Snow-white, “this nice 
old lady will not harm me. I am lonesome 
and I am going to let her in.” 

So she unlocked the door and the old 
woman entered. Snow-white bought some 
of the pretty things and then the old woman 
held up a silver girdle. 

“Do you see this.^” she asked. “Is it 
not beautiful.^ Let me show you how to 
wear it.” 

She put the girdle around Snow-white 
and drew it so tight that she could not 
breathe. 

“Take it off!” begged the girl, but the old 
woman only drew it tighter until Snow- 
white fell down as if dead. 

The old woman thought she heard some 
one coming so she picked up her basket and 
went away as fast as she could. 

Soon the seven little dwarfs came home 
and found Snow-white lying on the floor. 
They were greatly frightened and lifted her 
up to carry her to the bed. Then they 
saw the silver girdle; they unfastened it 


■fllf 








\ 


SNOW-WHITE 


81 


and in a few minutes Snow-white began to 
breathe again. 

When the Queen reached home she went 
to the looking-glass and said, 

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall. 

Am I most beautiful of all?” 

And the mirror answered, 

“Snow-white over the mountain brow, 

A thousand times fairer is than thou.” 

When the queen heard this she was more 
angry than she had ever been before. 

“I will go again,” she said. 

So in a few days she made herself look like 
a lame old woman. She carried a basket and a 
cane and went to the home of the little dwarfs. 

She knocked at the door and called, “Come 
and see the fine things I have to sell.” 

Snow-white looked out of the window 
and said, “I cannot let you come in. Please 
go away.” 

“I have such fine things,” said the old 
woman, “may I not come in for a few 
minutes.^” 

Snow-white thought, “This old woman is 
lame. Surely she is all right.” So she 
opened the door and let her in. 


82 


IN FAIRYLAND 


The girl looked at the pretty things and 
after a while the old woman said, “See this 
beautiful comb? I will make you a present 
of it. Bend down your head and I will show 
you how to wear it.” 

Now this comb had poison in it and as 
soon as it touched the hair of Snow-white 
she fell down as if dead. 

The old woman hurried away and at night 
the dwarfs came home. When they saw 
Snow-white they knew at once that the 
wicked queen had been there again. As 
they looked at the lovely girl one of them 
saw the poisoned comb. He reached down 
and pulled it out and Snow-white again 
came to life. She told what had happened 
and the dwarfs again told her not to let any 
one in while they were away. 

The wicked queen felt sure that she was 
now the most beautiful person in the world 
so she went to the mirror and said, 

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall. 

Am I most beautiful of eJI?” 

And the mirror answered, 

“Queen, thou art very fair. 

But with Snow-white no one can compare.” 


SNOW-WHITE 


83 


Then the queen was furious. “I will go 
once more,” she said, “and this time I will 
make sure.” 

She dressed herself this time like a farmer’s 
wife and took apples in her basket. She 
went to the home of the little dwarfs and 
knocked at the door. 

Snow-white came to the window. “I can- 
not let you in,” she said; “the dwarfs told 
me not to open the door.” 

“That is all right,” said the farmer’s wife. 
“Let me show you my fine red apples. Will 
you not have one.^ They are ripe and sweet.” 

“No, I cannot take it,” said Snow-white. 
“The dwarfs told me not to take anything.” 

“Are you afraid.^” asked the woman. 
“See, I will cut the apple into two parts; I 
will eat this half, and you can have the red 
side.” 

Now the apple was poisoned only on the 
red side. 

Snow-white thought, “There can be no 
harm in eating just a little of the apple.” 

She took the piece but as soon as she 
tasted it she fell down dead. 

“Now,” said the queen, “the dwarfs can- 
not save you.” 


84 IN FAIRYLAND 

She hurried home and asked of the mirror, 

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall. 

Who is most beautiful of all?” 

And the mirror replied, 

“There is no one anywhere. 

Who can with thee, fair queen, compare.” 

When the dwarfs came home that night 
they found Snow-white lying on the floor 
dead. They tried in every way to bring her 
back to life, but in vain. 

They placed her on her bed and for seven 
days and nights they watched by her side. 

“She is so beautiful we cannot put her 
in the ground,” they said. 

So they made a coffin of glass and put her 
in it. They placed the coffin on the moun- 
tain top and the little dwarfs took turns in 
watching so that it was never left alone. 

Thus Snow-white lay in state. And her 
skin was as white as snow, her cheeks were 
as red as blood, and her hair was as black 
as ebony. 

It happened that a king’s son passed that 
way one day and he saw the coffin upon the 
mountain top. He remained for days to 
watch by it and then he begged to take the 


SNOW-WHITE 


85 


coffin to his father’s palace. After a long 
time the little dwarfs agreed to let him take 
it away. The servants lifted the coffin 
gently but one of them stumbled and nearly 
fell. This shook the coffin and the piece of 
apple came out of the throat of Snow-white. 

She moved a little, then she pushed the 
lid of the coffin aside, and sat up. 

“Where am I.^^” she asked. “And where 
are my little dwarfs.^” 

The prince told her all that had happened 
and begged her to go with him to his father’s 
palace and become his wife. 

In a short time the wicked stepmother 
was invited to the wedding feast. She 
thought that Snow-white was dead and that 
no one was so beautiful as herself. 

She put on her finest dress and said to the 
mirror, 

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall. 

Who is most beautiful of all?” 

And the mirror answered, 

“The fair young bride is now 
Many times more beautiful than thou.” 

The queen was wild with anger. At first 
she thought she would not go to the wedding. 


86 


IN FAIRYLAND 


but she felt that she could not rest until she 
had seen the wife of the prince. 

As soon as she entered the palace she saw 
Snow-white, who seemed more beautiful than 
ever before. The queen was so astonished 
that at first she could not move. At last 
she went into the ball room, but her slippers 
seemed to be filled with red-hot coals, and in 
them she was forced to dance until she fell 
down dead. 



THE FISHERMAN AND HIS 
WIFE 


HERE was once a fisherman who 



lived with his wife in a poor 


little hut near the * sea. Every 


morning he went out in his boat and fished 
and fished. 

One day as he sat looking at the smooth 
water he felt his line pulled. He drew it 
up carefully and there on the hook was a 
very large fish. 

“This is fine,” said the man. “My wife 
and I shall have enough to eat for several 
days.” 

He was about to lift it into his boat when 
the fish cried, “Put me back! Put me back! 
I am not a fish but a prince that has been 
bewitched. Please put me back.” 

The fisherman quickly dropped the fish. 

“I do not want to eat a fish that can talk,” 
he said, “I should rather go hungry.” 

He rowed slowly to the shore and went to 
his home. 


87 


88 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“Did you catch any fish to-day?” asked 
his wife. 

“I caught one,” said the man, “but it 
could talk so I threw it back into the water.” 



“Did you wish for anything first?” asked 
the wife. 

“No,” said the man. “Why should I?” 

“Have you not heard,” said his wife, “that 
if you catch a talking fish, it will give you 
what you wish?” 

“That is very strange,” said the man. 

“Go back and call the fish,” said the wife. 


THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE 89 

“Perhaps it will come and you can still make 
a wish.” 

“I do not know what to wish for,” said 
the man. 

“Wish for a nice little cottage,” said the 
wife. “I do not want to stay all my life in 
such a place as this.” 

The man did not want to go, but his wife 
talked until he got into his boat and rowed 
back to the fishing place. The sea was 
dark and green and not smooth as it had 
been. The man stood up in the boat ahd 
called, 

“Wonderful fish in the sea, 

Pray come back and talk to me, 

For my wife. Dame Isabel, 

Wishes what I fear to tell.” 

At once the fish came to the top of the water 
and said, “Well, what does she want.^” 

The man was afraid, but he said, “She 
would like to have a nice little cottage.” 

“Go home,” said the fish, “she has her 
wish.” 

The man rowed back to the shore and there 
in place of the little hut was a cottage with 
roses growing over the door. 

His wife came to meet him and said, “See 


90 


IN FAIRYLAND 


how much nicer this is than the little hut. 
Come into the house and see all the pretty 
things.” 

“It is fine,” said the husband, “we shall 
be contented here all our lives.” 

All went well for a little while and then 
the wife began to wish that the rooms were 
larger. 

“Husband,” she said, “I should like to 
live in a great stone castle and have servants 
to wait upon me.” 

“I like this cottage,” said the man, “I am 
happy here.” 

“But I am not happy,” said the wife. 
“Go back to the fish and tell him that I 
want a castle.” 

The man did not want to go. He walked 
slowly to the shore and got into his boat. 
The water was not bright and smooth but 
dark and rough. When he came to the 
fishing place he said, 

“Wonderful fish in the sea, 

Pray come here and talk to me, 

For my wife. Dame Isabel, 

Wishes what I fear to tell.” 

The fish came to the top of the water and 
said, “Well, what does she want.^” 


THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE 91 

The man was very much afraid, but he 
said, “I like the little cottage but my wife 
/ wants a great stone castle with servants to 
wait upon her.” 

“Go home,” said the fish, “she has her 
wish.” 

The man went toward his home and when 
he came to the place where the cottage had 
been, there was a great stone castle. A 
servant opened the gate and his wife stood 
on the steps waiting for him. 

“Come in,” she said, “and see how much 
nicer this is than the little cottage.” 

They passed into a large room that was 
paved with marble; beautiful pictures hung 
on the walls and the chairs and tables were 
of gold. Servants stood near ready to wait 
upon them. 

“I never saw anything so fine,” said the 
husband. “Surely there is nothing more 
to wish for.” 

They were happy for several weeks and 
then the wife became discontented. 

“Husband,” she said, “don’t you think 
it would be fine to rule over this land.^” 

“What do you mean.^’! asked the man. 

“If you were king,” said the wife, “we 


92 


IN FAIRYLAND 


should live in a grand palace; soldiers would 
fight for us; and we could make the laws 
for the whole land.” 

“But I do not want to be king,” said the 
man. “I am happy here in this castle.” 

“But I want to be queen,” said the wife. 
“I want to rule. Go to the fish and tell him 
so.” 

“I do not like to go,” said the man. 

But the wife said, “Go at once! I cannot 
wait another day.” 

The man left the castle and walked slowly 
down to the sea. The water was almost 
black and the waves beat against the shore. 
He got into his boat and rowed as hard as he 
could. When he came to the fishing place 
he said, 

“Wonderful fish in the sea, 

Pray come here and talk to me, 

For my wife, Lady Isabel, 

Wishes what I fear to tell.” 

The fish came to the top of the water and 
said, “Well, what does she want now?” 

The man was so afraid that his knees 
shook, but he said, “I am happy in the castle 
but my wife wants to be queen and live in a 
grand palace.” 


THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE 93 


“She wants to be queen, does she?” 
asked the fish. “Well, go home, she has her 
wish.” 

The man rowed back toward the shore 
and when he came to the place where the 
castle had stood he found a great palace. 
Soldiers were marching back and forth, flags 
were flying, and bands were playing. He was 
almost afraid to go in, but a servant came 
and led him to the great hall. 

His wife sat on a throne of gold, she wore 
a beautiful dressj and on her head was a 
crown of diamonds. 

“Husband,” she said, “isn’t this grand?” 

“Yes,” said he, “and now you will be 
contented, for there is nothing else that you 
can wish for.” 

A month passed and then one evening the 
wife watched the moon as it rose across the 
sea. The next morning she got up very 
early. As she looked from the palace win- 
dow, she saw the sun rising over the moun- 
tain top. 

“Oh,” she said, “I wish I could make the 
sun and the moon rise when I choose and 
stand still when I choose.” 

She thought about it for a few minutes and 


94 


IN FAIRYLAND 


then she called, “Husband, husband, get 
up! I want to make the sun and the moon 
rise when I choose and stand still when I 
choose. Go to the fish and tell him so.” 

The man was half asleep and thought he 
must be dreaming. 

“Wake up,” streamed the wife. “Go and 
tell the fish that I want to make the sun and 
moon rise when I choose and stand still when 
I choose.” 

The man was so frightened that he fell 
out of bed. 

“Wife, wife,” he cried, “surely you do 
not mean it!” 

“Yes, I do mean it,” she said. “Go at 
once! Do you not know that I am queen.^ 
Go!” 

The man could hardly stand up, but he 
dressed himself and went down toward his 
boat. A fearful storm came up, the wind 
blew, the lightning fiashed, and the waves 
dashed high up on the shore. 

The boat almost tipped over, but the man 
rowed slowly out to the fishing place. When 
he reached it he called in a hoarse voice, 
“Wonderful fish in the sea, 

Pray come here and talk to me, 


THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE 95 


For my wife, Queen Isabel, 

Wishes what I fear to tell.” 

The fish came to the top of the water and 
said, “Well, what does she want.^” 

The man was so frightened that his teeth 
chattered, but he whispered, “She wants to 
make the sun and the moon rise when she 
chooses and stand still when she chooses.” 

“Go home,” said the fish, “your wife is 
waiting for you in the poor little hut where 
you first lived.” 

There the man found her and there they 
stayed as long as they lived. 



PRINCE CHERRY 


T here was once a king who was so 
kind and honest that the people 
all called him the Good King. 

One day when he was out hunting, a 
frightened rabbit that was running away 
from the dogs leaped into his arms. 

The king held it close and said, “This 
little rabbit has come to me for help and I 
shall not allow any one to harm it.” 

He carried it to his palace and ordered 
that it should be given a place to sleep and 
good food to eat. 

That night when the king was alone in 
his room a fairy came to him and said, “I 
wished to see if you were really good and 
kind, so this afternoon I took the form of a 
rabbit and leaped into your arms. You 
saved my life and now I promise you that 
any wish you make shall be granted.” 

“If you are a fairy,” said the king, “you 
must know that my wish is for my only son, 
Prince Cherry.” 


96 


PRINCE CHERRY 


97 


“Shall I make him handsome,” asked the 
fairy, “or shall I make him rich or powerful?” 

“None of the three,” replied the father. 
“I only wish him to be good — the best 
prince in the whole world. Of what use 
would riches, power, or beauty be to him if 
he were a bad man?” 

“I will do my best to fulfill your wish,” 
said the fairy, and then she disappeared. 

Not long after the good king died and 
Prince Cherry was left alone. 

One night when the prince was asleep the 
fairy came to him. 

“I promised your father that I would help 
you,” she said, “and so I have brought you 
a ring. Whenever you do wrong it will 
prick your finger.” 

Prince Cherry promised that he would 
always wear the ring and would heed its 
warnings. 

For a long time he was kind and good and 
the ring never pricked him. This made him 
so cheerful and pleasant that everybody 
called him, “Happy Prince Cherry.” 

Then one day he felt cross and when his 
dog came near he struck at it with a whip. 
At once he felt a prick like a pin. 


98 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“The fairy ring,” he said, “but why 
should I care? I am ruler of a great kingdom 
and can do as I please.” 

Many times after that the ring pricked 
him and often the blood ran from his finger. 
This vexed the prince and one day he took 
the ring off and hid it where he hoped never 
to see it again. 

Not long after when the prince was riding 
in the country he saw a beautiful young 
girl named Celia. He was so pleased with 
her that he asked her to become his wife. 

“No,” replied the girl, “I do not wish to 
marry you.” 

The prince was much surprised. “Do you 
not know that I am Prince Cherry? ” he asked. 
“Why do you not wish to marry me?” 

“I know that you are a prince,” replied 
Celia, “but you are not like the good king, 
your father. You are cruel and unkind and 
I know I should not be happy with you.” 

At these words the prince became very 
angry and he conunanded his soldiers to 
put the girl in prison near the palace. 

Then the prince listened to wicked com- 
panions. One said, “Feed her on bread 
and water until she is ready to marry you.” 


PRINCE CHERRY 


99 


Another said, “Keep her in prison as a 
warning to others who do not please you.” 

The next day he went to the prison to 
see the girl. He thought that he would ask 
her once more to marry him, but when he 
reached the cell and opened the great door 
he found that she was gone! Prince Cherry 
went into a great rage. He commanded 
that the keeper of the prison should be loaded 
with heavy chains and put in the place where 
Celia had been. He ordered that the soldiers 
should search for the girl until they found 
her. Then he returned to the palace and 
shut himself up in his room. 

He had been there only a short time when 
suddenly the fairy appeared before him. 

“Prince,” she said, “I promised your 
father that I would try to make you good, 
but you no longer wear the ring I gave you 
and you do things that are wicked and cruel. 
You are no better than the beasts you kill 
when you hunt. You are like a lion in self- 
ishness, a w6lf in cruelty, and a wild boar in 
fury. Take, therefore, as your new form, the 
likeness of all these animals.” 

As the fairy spoke these words. Prince 
Cherry felt a great change come over him. 


100 


IN FAIRYLAND 


He had the head of a wild boar, the body of 
a lion, and the feet and tail of a wolf. At 
the same time he found himself taken to a 
forest near a little stream. He looked into 
the water and there he saw his own frightful 
shape. 

Filled with anger he rushed away, but he 
had gone only a few steps when he was 
caught in a trap that had been set for bears. 
Soon the hunters came. They put chains 
upon him and led him to the city. There 
the people crowded around to see the strange 
animal that was like a wild boar and a lion 
and a wolf. 

Prince Cherry became so angry that he 
tried to spring upon any who came near. 
The hunters took him to a great cage in the 
park and gave him to a cruel keeper who 
ill-treated him in many ways. Days passed 
and the prince learned what it was to suffer 
hunger and thirst and to endure pain. 

One evening when the keeper was sleeping, 
a tiger broke loose and was about to leap 
upon him. Cherry at first was glad when 
he thought that the keeper was to be killed, 
then he saw how helpless the man was and he 
wished himself free that he might defend him. 


PRINCE CHERRY 


101 


Instantly the doors of his cage opened and 
he was able to kill the fierce tiger. The 
keeper awoke and thought that he was to 
be killed by the strange beast. Just then 
a voice was heard to say, “Good actions 
never go unrewarded,” and in place of the 
frightful beast a little dog lay by the side 
of the dead tiger. 

The keeper picked him up in his arms 
and petted him and spoke to him in soft 
tones. The next day he carried the dog to 
the home of a rich man, who bought him for 
his wife. 

For a while Prince Cherry was well treated, 
he had good things to eat and everything 
that a dog could wish for. But one day his 
mistress decided that he was growing too fast; 
she wished him to remain small so she ordered 
that he should be fed very little. 

Poor Cherry was nearly starved and he 
tried to run away from the home of the rich 
man. As he went down one of the streets he 
passed some soldiers who were dragging a 
young girl to prison. The girl turned toward 
him and he saw that she was Celia, the girl 
that he had loved and wished to marry. 
How he wished that he were again a fierce 


102 


IN FAIRYLAND 


beast that he might save her! And then he 
remembered that the soldiers were doing no 
more than he had once ordered them to do. 

The great doors of the prison closed and 
Cherry was left outside. 

A soldier opened a window and seeing 
the dog threw him a crust of bread. Cherry 
seized it eagerly, for he had tasted no food 
for two days. He was about to eat it when 
he saw by the side of the gate a poor boy who 
looked longingly at the bread. 

“Poor child,” thought Cherry, “he seems 
to be more hungry than I. I can wait a 
little longer for my dinner.” 

He ran up to the boy and placed the crust 
in his hand. Again a voice was heard to say, 
“Good actions never go unrewarded.” And 
Cherry found himself changed into a beau- 
tiful white dove. 

“Now,” he said, “I can find where Celia 
is.” 

He flew to the prison windows, but she 
was not there. He searched over the whole 
city, but she Could not be found. He flew 
over mountains and valleys and at last one 
evening he saw her sitting at the door of a 
cave. 


PRINCE CHERRY 


103 


He flew down and perched upon the girl’s 
shoulder and put his bill lovingly against 
her cheek. 

Celia was delighted with the beautiful 
dove. She petted it 
bird, if you will stay 
with me I will always 
love you and care for 
you.” 

At once the dove 
disappeared and 
Prince Cherry stood 
in his true form. At 
the same time the 
fairy stepped forth 
from the cave. 

“Come, my child- 
ren,” she said, “and 
I will take you to 
the palace. Prince 
Cherry has learned 
his lesson through suffering and is worthy of 
the most beautiful maiden in the land.” 

She had scarcely finished speaking when 
they were back in the great palace Cherry 
had left many months before. 

There was great rejoicing in the city 


and said, “My pretty 



104 


IN FAIRYLAND 


when the people learned that their prince 
had returned and had brought with him a 
beautiful maiden to be his wife. 

King Cherry and Queen Celia ruled happily 
for many years. Cherry found the fairy 
ring that he had hidden and always kept it 
on his finger; but he was so good and kind 
and blameless in all he did that its prick was 
seldom felt. 



o 


MOMOTARO THE PEACH-BOY 

F ar away in the sunny land of Japan 
a little old woman knelt by the side 
of a river washing clothes. 

The water was clear and bright, the air 
was soft and warm, and as the old woman 
worked she sang a sweet little song. 

Suddenly she stopped and looked out to 
the middle of the stream. Something seemed 
to be rolling over and over in the water. It 
came nearer and then the little old woman 
saw that it was a large red peach. 

“What a fine peach,” she exclaimed. “1 
have never seen such a large one. It must 
be delicious to eat. How I wish that I could 
reach it, but it is too far from the shore.” 

The peach seemed to pause for a moment. 
Then it rolled over and over again and stopped 
at the feet of the little old woman. 

Wondering much at her good fortune, she 
picked it up and started for home. 

“How pleased my old man will be,” she 
thought as she trudged along. “It is a long 
time since we had ripe fruit.” 

105 


106 


IN FAIRYLAND 


At night the old man came from the moun- 
tain where he had been cutting grass. 

“Look,” called the wife, “did you ever 
see such a beautiful peach.^” 

“I never saw such a fine one,” replied the 
man. “Where did you buy it.^” 

“I did not buy it,” said the wife. “This 
morning as I washed my clothes in the stream 
it came rolling over and 
over in the water and 
stopped at my feet.” 

“That is strange,” said 
the man. “ It is so soft it 
must be sweet and juicy.” 

“We shall have it for 
supper,” said the wife. “ I 
will get a knife and you 
shall cut it in two.” 



MOMOTARO THE PEACH-BOY 107 

But just as he took the knife a strange 
thing happened : the peach fell into two parts 
and out stepped a little boy I 

The old man and the little old woman 
nearly fainted with surprise. But the boy 
said, “Do not be afraid. You have often 
wished for a child and so the fairies have 
sent me to be your son. My name is Momo- 
taro, or The Peach-boy.” 

How happy the old people were! Now 
every day seemed better than the one that 
had gone before. 

The years passed quickly and Momotaro 
grew tall and handsome. He was stronger 
and braver than any youth in the village, 
and he was the finest hunter in the whole 
country. 

One day when the peaches were again ripe 
on the hillside he came to the old man and 
said, “Father, for many years your kind- 
ness has been higher than the mountains 
and deeper than the rivers, now I pray you 
grant me one request.” 

And the old man answered, “Son, you have 
been very dear to us. What is it that you 
wish to ask? For surely we will grant it.” 

“I wish to go away,” replied Momotaro, 


108 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“but I promise that I will return when I 
have fulfilled my mission.” 

“ Go away ! ” exclaimed the little old woman. 
“Surely you will not leave us. Are you 
not happy here.^” 

“Listen,” said Momotaro. “Far away on 
an island north of Japan hve seven demons. 
It is they who send trouble and sickness and 
death to the people. It is they who spoil 
the harvest and send the floods and storms. 
I will slay them and so bring peace and 
happiness to our people.” 

Then the little old woman wept, for she 
feared for the safety of their son. 

But the old man said, “Do not weep, 
wife. Surely the fairies who sent him to us 
will care for him. Perhaps it was intended 
that he should fight the enemies of Japan.” 

The little old woman dried her tears and 
began baking for the journey. From her 
store of millet she made many small cakes 
which she put into a bag that could be easily 
carried. 

Then one bright morning Momotaro re- 
ceived the blessing of the old people and 
started northward. 

He walked until noon and then sat down 


MOMOTARO THE PEACH-BOY 109 

to eat his dinner. Suddenly a fierce-looking 
dog ran toward him. 

“Wan! Wan!” barked the dog. “This 
is my country. What right have you here? 
I am going to eat you up.” 

Momotaro laughed and said, “You are a 
fierce dog, but I do not fear you. I go to 
fight the enemies of Japan.” 

“You must be Momotaro,” replied the 
dog, “for no other could be so brave. Pray 
excuse my rude conduct and allow me to 
go with you.” 

“You may be of help,” said the young 
man. “Eat this millet cake and we will 
journey onward.” 

The dog ate the cake and they went over 
mountains and through valleys far to the 
north. 

As they rested the next day at noon a 
monkey sprang down from a tree and cried, 
“How dare you cross over my mountain? 
I will call all my friends and we will drive 
you back with sticks and stones.” 

Again Momotaro laughed, “Do you think 
that I am afraid of you and your friends? I 
go to fight the enemies of Japan.” 

“You must be Momotaro,” rephed the 


110 


IN FAIRYLAND 


monkey, “for no other could be so brave. 
Pray allow me to go with you.” 

Then the dog grew very angry. He growled 
fiercely and said, “You mountain monkey, 
of what use could you be in war? We go 
to fight. I alone will go with the great 
Momotaro.” 

But Momotaro answered, “Keep still. Dog. 
This monkey may be of use. I intend to 
take him with us. Here, Monkey, eat this 
millet cake and we will journey onward.” 

The monkey caught the cake and ate it 
eagerly. Then they all started on, but the 
dog and monkey soon began to quarrel. 
It was necessary to separate them, so 
Momotaro gave the monkey his flag and 
made him walk in front; to the dog who 
walked behind he gave his sword, while he 
himself walked in the middle and carried 
his fan. 

The next day as they rested at noon a 
beautiful bird flew down near their feet. 
The dog at once sprang toward it and would 
have caught it, but Momotaro prevented 
this 

“Who are you?” he asked the bird. “And 
why do you come to us?” 


MOMOTARO THE PEACH-BOY 


111 


“I am called a pheasant,” replied the 
bird. “Are you not the great Momotaro.^” 

“My name is Momotaro,” was the answer, 
“and I go to fight the enemies of Japan.” 

“Pray allow me to go with you,” begged 
the pheasant. “I am sure that I can be 
of some use.” 

Then the monkey laughed. “What can a 
bird do in war.^ We expect to fight. Surely, 
great Master, you will not allow this bird 
to go.” V 

But Momotaro said, “Keep still. Monkey. 
The bird may be of use and shall go with 
us. Here, Pheasant, eat this millet cake 
and we will journey onward.” 

The next morning they came to the sea 
and far away to the north could be seen 
the demons’ island. All day they walked 
along the sand while Momotaro watched 
the waves. A tiny speck on the water 
seemed to be coming toward them. It 
grew larger until at last a boat floated to 
the shore. 

Then Momotaro, the dog, the monkey, 
and the pheasant got into the boat and it 
started for the island far to the north- 
ward. 


112 


IN FAIRYLAND 


For three days and three nights they sailed 
and the next morning they were close to the 
land. Before them was a great castle with 
a high stone wall all around it. 

Momotaro called to the pheasant, “You 
have strong wings. Fly over the wall and 
find out what is happening.” 

The pheasant obeyed and flew high up in 
the air. Down in the courtyard he saw 
seven demons getting ready to fight. With 
a sudden sweep downward he darted at 
the largest demon and pecked his eyes 
out. 

Momotaro with a huge club burst open 
the gate and the great fight began. The dog 
sprang upon the demons and bit them; the 
monkey rolled great stones from the high 
wall; while the strong sword of Momotaro 
flashed back and forth until all the demons 
were dead. 

Then Momotaro and his helpers carried 
to the boat the great treasure of the dead 
demons. There were bags of pearls, coral, 
and tortoise shell besides many boxes of 
gold and silver. 

Great was the joy of the Old Man and the 
Little Old Woman when Momotaro returned 


MOMOTARO THE PEACH-BOY 


113 


bringing his great load of treasure and his 
three trusted friends, the Dog, the Monkey, 
and the Pheasant. And great was the hap- 
piness in all Japan when it was known that 
Momotaro had killed the evil demons. 



THE STORY OF FAIRYFOOT 


NCE upon a time in the west 



country there was a town called 


Stumpinghame. To the north of it, 
to the south of it, to the east of it, and to 
the west of it was a forest so thick and high 
that no man in the town had ever passed 
through it. 

The people of Stumpinghame did not try 
to travel because every man, woman, and 
child had feet so large that it was not easy 
to go far. Now strange to say, everyone was 
proud of the great size of his feet. 

The king had the largest feet of any. His 
wife, the queen, was very beautiful and her 
slippers might have been used for fishing 
boats. The six children of the king and 
queen all had big feet, and everyone was very 
happy until the seventh son was born. But 
this child had the smallest feet that had ever 
been seen in Stumpinghame! The queen 
shed many tears and the king did not smile 
for a month, but what could be done? The 


114 


THE STORY OF FAIRYFOOT 


115 


wise men wrote books about it and the poor 

people talked about it 

and every one mourned ^ 

with the king and ^ 

queen. 

At last the king could 
stand it no longer so he 
sent the child away to 
the home of a shepherd. 

Many people came 
there to see the baby. 

They looked at his feet, 
and because they were 
so small they called him 
“Fairyfoot.” “For,” 
they said, “no one but 
a fairy could walk on 
such feet.” 

In the palace it was 
not thought polite to 
speak of the child. 

Once a year a servant 
took a bundle of old 
clothes to him and paid 
the shepherd for what ^ 
he had done. 

So Fairyfoot grew up. 



116 


IN FAIRYLAND 


He lived out of doors in the sunshine, he 
ran after butterflies, and he danced over the 
meadows. He longed to play with the other 
children, but they made fun of his feet until 
Fairyfoot became sad and unhappy. 

After a time the shepherd sent him to 
care for some sheep near the edge of the 
forest. 

One summer day when the sheep were 
feeding, Fairyfoot looked up into the sky 
and saw a hawk chasing a robin. The poor 
robin could fly no farther; it fell toward 
the earth and Fairyfoot caught it in his cap. 

He frightened away the hawk and then 
said, “Now you may go, poor little robin.” 

He opened the cap, but instead of a bird 
out stepped a little old man who bowed low 
and said, “Thank you for saving me, Fairy- 
foot. Call on me if you are ever in trouble. 
My name is Robin Goodfellow.” 

In an instant he was gone. Fairyfoot was 
greatly surprised and for several days could 
think of nothing but the queer little man. 

Summer passed and autumn came. Every 
day Fairyfoot mourned over his small feet. 
How he wished they would grow and grow 
and grow. 


THE STORY OF FAIRYFOOT 117 

One evening when he felt very lonely he 
thought of the little old man. “I wonder 
if he really could help me,” said Fairyfoot. 

He stood up and called, “Ho! Robin 
Goodf ellow ! Robin Goodf ellow 1 ’ ’ 

“Here I am,” said a shrill piping voice, 
“What is the matter.^” 

And there by his side was the little man. 

“I am very lonely,” said Fairyfoot. “No 
one will play with me because my feet are 
so small.” 

“Come and play with us,” said the little 
man. “We have the best time in the world 
and care for nobody’s feeti” 

He took Fairyfoot by the hand and led 
him far away into the dark forest. After 
a time they came to an open place where the 
moon shone as bright as day. Beautiful 
flowers were blooming and Fairyfoot heard 
sweet music. 

The little man led him to a well and 
said, “This is the fairies’ well. Drink of 
this water and you shall forget -all your 
troubles.” 

Fairyfoot took the cup and drank eagerly. 
He turned to the open space and there he 
saw many fairies. and elves dancing. Others 


118 


IN FAIRYLAND 


were sitting around low tables under great 
rose trees, eating honey and drinking tiny 
cups of milk. 

As soon as they saw Fairyfoot they gath- 
ered around him and begged him to dance 
with them or to have something to eat. 
Fairyfoot had never been so happy in his 
life. He danced and played until the moon 
was low in the sky and then the little man 
took him back to his bed of straw in the 
shepherd’s cottage. 

Every day he tended his sheep as usual, 
but every night when the shepherd was 
safe in bed, the little man came and took 
him away to dance in the forest. Fairyfoot 
was no longer sad; he did not grieve that his 
father and mother had forgotten him or that 
the children with big feet would not play 
with him. 

Now one night after a long happy dance 
he heard two fairies talking. 

One said, “What a handsome boy Fairy- 
foot is. ’He ought to be a king’s son. See 
what fine small feet he has.” 

And the other said, “Yes, they are just 
like the feet of the Princess Maybloom before 
she washed them in the Growing Well. Now 


THE STORY OF FAIRYFOOT 119 

her feet are dreadfully big. Every doctor 
in the land has tried to make them small, 
but nothing in the world will do it except 
water from the Crystal Fountain.” 

“Where is that.^” asked the other fairy. 

“No one knows but the nightingales and 
they won’t tell,” was the answer. 

The fairies went back to the dance and 
Fairyfoot sat and wondered. 

“How strange,” he thought, “that any- 
one should want to have little feet.” 

He wished that he could see the princess 
and then he wished that he might find the 
Growing Well. 

The moon sank lower and at last went out 
of sight. Instead of waiting for the little 
man to take him home Fairyfoot wandered 
into the forest. He found a little stream 
and he followed its banks for a long, long 
way. At last he reached a fountain and 
there he sat down to rest. 

Some nightingales were singing in the 
branches above and Fairyfoot listened to 
their sweet songs. In a little while they 
stopped singing and began to talk. 

“What boy is that who sits by the Crystal 
Fountain.^” asked one. 


120 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“He has not come to bathe his feet/' 
said the other, “for see how small they are. 
I wonder if he knows that the water will 
make big feet become small.” 

Fairyfoot listened to hear more, but the 
birds flew away and he was left alone. Then 
he thought of the Princess Maybloom. 

“How I wish I could find her and bring 
her to the Crystal Fountain,” he cried. 
“How can I find her.^” 

He thought all day and all night and then 
he remembered the little old man. 

“Ho! Robin Goodfellow! Robin Good- 
fellow!” he called. 

In an instant the little man stood by his 
side. “What do you want?” he asked. 

“Lead me to the palace of the Princess 
Maybloom. I must see her and tell her of 
the Crystal Fountain.” 

“Come, then,” said Robin Goodfellow, and 
they started out. They went over hills 
and through valleys. They passed fields 
and villages and at last came to the great 
city of the king. They walked until they 
reached the palace gate and then the little 
man disappeared. 

Fairyfoot slipped through the gate and 


THE STORY OF FAIRYFOOT 121 

went into the king’s garden. A beautiful 
white fawn came running by and he heard 
some one call, “Come back, come back, my 
fawn! I cannot run and play with you now, 
my feet have grown so heavy.” 

Fairyfoot looked around and saw a beau- 
tiful princess dressed in white and wearing 
a wreath of flowers on her head. But she 
walked slowly and he saw that her feet were 
so large and heavy that she could scarcely 
move. 

Fairyfoot bowed low before her and said, 
“Princess May bloom, I have heard that you 
are troubled because your feet have grown 
so large. I have come to tell you of a won- 
derful fountain that will make them grow 
small again.” 

When the princess heard this she laughed 
for joy. She led Fairyfoot to the king 
and queen, and he told them of the fairies 
and of the nightingales and the Crystal 
Fountain. 

At first the king would not listen to him, 
but the queen begged that Fairyfoot be 
allowed to lead the princess and two of her 
maids to the wonderful fountain. 

The king at last agreed and the next 


122 


IN FAIRYLAND 


morning Fairy foot and the princess and the 
two maids started for the Crystal Fountain. 
The princess rode a small pony because it 
was not easy for her to walk and Fairyfoot 
stayed close by her side. 

At the gate Fairyfoot called Robin Good- 
fellow and he took them back past the fields 
and villages, over the hills, and through the 
valleys. 

When they reached the Crystal Fountain 
the princess slipped off her shoes and dipped 
her feet into the water. Instantly they grew 
smaller, and when she had washed and dried 
them three times they were as little and 
finely shaped as any maiden’s in the land. 

The princess was so happy that she could 
not stand still. She danced around Fairy- 
foot and thanked him again and again. 

“Oh,” said Fairyfoot, “if I could only 
find a well to make my feet grow large, then 
my father and mother would love me.” 

“I can show you that,” cried the princess. 
“The Growing Well is on the road near my 
father’s palace. Come, let us go.” 

They went back over the road they had 
come and at last they came to a well almost 
hidden by a big bush. 







THE STORY OF FAIRYFOOT 123 

“This,” said the princess, “is the Growing 
Well. Dip your feet here and they shall 
become as large as you wish.” 

Fairy foot ran to it; he pulled his shoes 
off and started to put his feet into the water. 
Then he looked at Princess Maybloom. He 
saw how beautiful she was, and how small 
and pretty her feet were. He thought, “If 
my feet become large, I know Princess May- 
bloom will never care for me.” 

Then he said out loud, “I do not want big 
feet now. I wish to go with you to your 
father.” 

There was great joy that day in the 
palace because the feet of the princess were 
small again. The king gave Fairyfoot many 
fine presents and begged him to stay with 
them. 

In a few years Fairyfoot and the princess 
were married and were happy ever after. 

Once a year they go to visit Fairyfoot’s 
father and mother. Then they bathe their 
feet in the Growing Well until they are larger 
than any in Stumpinghame. When they 
return they go to the Crystal Fountain and 
their feet are again small. 


124 


IN FAIRYLAND 


Sometimes Fairyfoot hears the fairy music 
and calls for Robin Goodfellow. Then he 
and the beautiful Princess Maybloom dance 
all night with the fairies under the great 
rose trees in the big forest. 



TRUE AND UNTRUE 


NCE upon a time there was a widow 



who had two sons. One of the boys 


was called True because he was good 
and kind toward all, and the other was called 
Untrue because he was unkind toward every 
one and no one could believe a word that 
he said. 

Now the mother was very poor and so one 
morning when the sons were grown she called 
them to her and said, “My sons, you know 
that it is hard for all of us to get enough 
bread to eat, so I must send you out into the 
world to seek your fortunes. Take these 
two baskets of food and may good luck go 
with you.” 

So saying, she bade them good-by, and the 
sons started out down the long road that 
led past their door. 

They walked all day and at evening they 
sat down to rest by the side of a wood. 

‘T am hungry,” said Untrue. “Brother, 
let us eat out of your basket as long as there 


125 


126 


IN FAIRYLAND 



is food in it. 
When it is gone 
we can begin on 
my basket.” 

“Very well,” 
said True. “I 
am hungry, too. 
Let us have our 
supper now.” 

He opened his 
basket and they 
began eating; but 
Untrue got the 
best part and 
only the crusts 
and crumbs were 
left for True. 


TRUE AND UNTRUE 


127 


Next morning they again 
ate from True’s basket and 
again at noon, and then there 
was nothing left in it. 

When evening came True 
said, “ Brother, I am hungry. 
Let us now eat from your 
basket, for mine is empty.” 

“No, not so,” replied Un- 
true. “There is no more 
food than I need for myself. 
Since you were so foolish as 
to let some one else eat up 
your food you will have 
to do without.” 



128 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“I may have been foolish,” said True, 
“but you are Untrue by name and untrue 
by nature. And all your hfe you will be so.” 

When Untrue heard these words he became 
very angry; he flew at True and plucked 
his eyes out. 

“Now,” he cried, “you cannot see whether 
I am true or untrue.” And he ran away as 
fast as he could. 

Poor blind True knew not what to do. 
He wandered through the woods until he 
came to a large lime tree. 

“I can pass the night in the branches of 
this tree,” he said, “and here the wild beasts 
can not harm me. In the morning perhaps 
I can find my way on a little farther.” 

He climbed up into the tree and rested 
between the large limbs. 

Just as he was going to sleep he heard a 
noise. Bruin the bear, and Graylegs the 
wolf, and Slyboots the fox, and Jumper 
the hare had come there to keep St. John’s 
Eve under the tree. They ate and drank 
and had a merry time; then Slyboots the 
fox said, “Now let us tell stories. Bruin, 
you tell us one.” 

“My story is short,” said the bear. “The 


TRUE AND UNTRUE 


129 


king of the country is nearly blind, but if he 
would only come to this lime tree in the 
morning and rub his eyes with the dew from 
its leaves, he could see as well as any one.” 

“That is true!” said Gray legs the wolf. 
“And I know something, too. The king 
has a beautiful daughter that is deaf and 
dumb, but she could be cured if only they 
knew what I know. Under the floor of the 
church sits a toad with a crust of bread in 
its mouth. If the king’s men would only 
dig up the floor and give the bread to the 
princess, she would be well in a minute.” 

“That is true, too,” said Slyfoot the fox. 
“And I know where the king can find 
good water near his palace. Under the great 
stone in the garden is a spring of clear cold 
water. If he only knew enough to move 
the stone, he would find it.” 

“And I know why the king gets no fruit 
from his orchard,” said Jumper the hare. 
“He has many fine trees, but there is a heavy 
gold chain fastened around the roots of all of 
them. If the king would only dig up the chain, 
he would have the finest fruit in the world.” 

Now True from his seat in the tree heard 
every word that had been said. At last the 


130 


IN FAIRYLAND 


animals went home and he was left alone. 
But he slept not a wink, for he was so eager 
for the morning to come when he might be 
able to see again. 

After what seemed a long time the birds 
began to sing and he knew that the day was 
coming. 

Then True took the dew from the leaves 
of the lime tree, he rubbed his eyes with it, 
and he could see as well as any one. 

He climbed down from the tree and started 
for the palace of the king. In two days he 
reached there and asked for work. The 
head gardener liked the looks of True, and 
he was sent to weed the garden beds. Now 
about noon the king passed that way and 
as the day was hot he stopped to get a drink 
from the well. He poured out a cup of 
water, but it was so warm and muddy he 
would not touch it. 

“Would that I had some clear cold water,” 
he said. “I would pay a big price for one 
good drink.” 

Then True stepped forward and, bowing 
low, said, “Your majesty, if you will send 
five men to help me lift this great stone you 
shall soon have a fine spring of water.” 


TRUE AND UNTRUE 


131 


The king ordered five men to be called 
at once. Together they lifted the great rock 
and a fountain of clear cold water sprang 
into the air. 

The king was delighted and ordered a fine 
gift to be given to True. 

The next day the king was again in the 
garden when a great hawk flew down and 
lighted upon one of the trees. The king 
raised his bow and arrow to shoot, but he 
could not see so far. 

“Ah me,” he cried. “If some one cannot 
help me soon, I shall be blind.” 

“Your majesty,” cried True, “if you will 
but go with me to the great lime tree and 
bathe your eyes in the dew from its leaves, 
you shall see as well as any one.” 

The king and True set out at once, and in 
two days they came to the lime tree. They 
rested that night and early in the morning 
the king bathed his eyes as True directed. 
As soon as the dew touched them they be- 
came so strong that he could see as well as 
any one. 

They returned to the palace, and the king 
was so happy that he kept True constantly 
at his side. He gave him jewels and new 


132 


IN FAIRYLAND 


clothes and True was as fine a gentleman 
as there was in the land. 

One day as the king was walking in his 
orchard he said, “I do not see why it is that 
I get no fruit from my trees. From all this 
splendid orchard I get nothing. If some 
one would only tell me what is the matter, 
I would make him rich.” 

“If I may have what is fastened around 
the roots of your trees,” said True, “I will 
make your trees bear loads of fruit.” 

“You may have anything you find,” said 
the king, “if you will make the trees bear.” 

Then True ordered men to dig around each 
tree. They took up the heavy gold chain 
and that summer the trees bore more fruit 
than had ever been seen in the land before. 

The gold chain now belonged to True and 
this made him a rich man — much richer, 
indeed, than the king. 

Now the king would have been very happy 
had it not been for one great sorrow. His 
only daughter, whom he dearly loved, could 
neither speak nor hear. She was deaf and 
dumb. 

One day the king called True to him and 
said, “You have done many wonderful 


TRUE AND UNTRUE 


133 


things; can you not make my daughter 
well? If you can make her speak and hear, 
she shall be your wife, and I will give you 
half of my kingdom.” 

And True answered, “0 King, send men 
that they may raise the stone floor of the 
church.” 

The men were sent in great haste and told 
to obey every word of True. They raised 
the heavy stone and there underneath it 
sat a toad with a crust of bread in its mouth. 
True took the bread and quickly carried it 
to the princess. As soon as she tasted it 
she could hear and talk as other people. 

Then there was great rejoicing, and every 
one in the palace began to prepare for the 
wedding of True and the princess. 

Such a wedding feast was never seen. 
Just as they were dancing the last dance a 
ragged beggar came to the door and asked 
for food. True looked at him and saw that 
it was his brother. Untrue. 

“Do you not know me?” asked True. 

“How should a poor beggar know so rich 
a gentleman as you?” was the reply. 

“But you should know me,” said True. 
“ It was I that you left in the wood to starve 


134 


IN FAIRYLAND 


after you had plucked out my eyes, just one 
year ago. You are Untrue by name and 
untrue by nature. Still you are my brother 
and you shall have food. Then you may 
go to the lime tree where I sat last year. 
Perhaps the beasts may come again and tell 
stories.” 

Untrue ate until he could eat no more and 
then hastened to the lime tree. 

“Perhaps some of my brother’s good luck 
may come to me,” he said. 

He climbed into the branches and waited. 
Before long the beasts came and began eating 
their dinner. 

“Now let us tell stories,” said the fox. 

But the bear said, “No, some one has told 
what we said last year. We will not tell 
any more stories.” 

The beasts went home and Untrue knew 
no more than he did before. All his life he 
was a beggar and all his life he was Untrue 
by name and untrue by nature. 


THE MAGIC PRISON 


L ittle HARWEDA was bom a prince. 
His father was king over all the land 
and Prince Harweda was his only 
child. From the day of his birth every- 
thing that love or money could do had 
been done for him. He slept on a bed 
of the softest down, he played with toys 
made of gold, and he ate from dishes set 
with rare jewels. 

But the king and queen were not very 
wise. They never tried to make the boy 
think of any one else, so of course he grew 
very selfish. By the time he was ten years 
old he was so greedy and cruel and disagree- 
able that no one wanted to be ned&* him. 

“What shall we do.^” cried the poor queen 
mother. 

“Ah, what can we do.^” sighed the king. 
“No one loves our son and he can never be 
a great king.” 

“Let us send for his fairy godmother,” 
said the queen. “Perhaps she can tell us.” 

135 


136 


IN FAIRYLAND 


So a messenger was sent and the fairy 
came in great haste. 

“Well, well, well,” she said. “ This is a very 
sad case. Why did you not call me sooner.^” 

She stayed all day with the little prince 
and then she said, “You will have to let me 
take him away for a long time if I am to cure 
him of his selfishness.” 

And the king said, “We will agree to any- 
thing if our son can be made to care for others 
as he does for himself.” 

Then before the queen could speak, the 
fairy picked up Prince Harweda and flew 
away with him as lightly as if he were a 
feather. They went a long way over the 
hilltops until they came to a great forest. 
Near the middle of it the fairy stopped and 
put the prince down in front of a beautiful 
pink marble palace. 

“This i^ your home,” said the fairy. “In 
it you may do whatever you wish.” 

Harweda was delighted, for there was noth- 
ing in the world he liked better than to do 
as he pleased. Without even thanking the 
fairy godmother, he ran into the house. 
As he entered, the great door shut with a 
bang and locked itself, but Prince Harweda 


THE MAGIC PRISON 


137 


did not care, for he did not love the beau- 
tiful outside world. 

Eagerly he ran about, looking at the won- 
derful things in this strange new home. 
The floor was of copper, the ceiling of pearl, 
and the furniture of gold and silver. In 
the center of the room a fountain of sparkling 
water danced and played^ in the sunlight 
and near a window was a large cage in which 
a beautiful bird san^ a glad song. 

“Ah,” thought the prince, “here I can 
do as I please, for there is no one to make 
me learn stupid lessons.” 

On a table were baskets of fruit and dishes 
filled with rare sweetmeats. 

“Good,” cried the greedy young prince, 
“this is what I like best of all.” And he 
fell to eating as fast as he could. 

But although he ate a great deal the table 
was just as full as when he began; for this 
was a magic palace which the fairies had 
built. When Prince Harweda had eaten 
until he could eat no more he threw himself 
down on one of the couches and fell asleep. 

When he awoke he noticed the walls which 
were the strangest part of his new home. 
There were twelve long windows which reached 


138 


IN FAIRYLAND 


from the ceiling to the floor. The spaces 
between the windows were filled in with 
mirrors exactly the same size as the windows, 
so that the whole room was walled in with 
windows and looking-glasses. 

Outside the windows were flowers and birds 
and many beautiful things, but Prince Har- 
weda did not notice them, for he was so 
delighted with the great mirrors. Each day 
he spent hours before them looking at 
himself, and he did nof see that a strange 
thing was happening: the mirrors were grow- 
ing larger and larger and the windows 
smaller and smaller. 

Soon the windows became so narrow that 
they let in very little light, and then one 
morning the prince awoke and found him- 
self in darkness. He called loudly for some- 
one to come and open a window, but no one 
answered. He went to the great iron door 
and kicked and beat upon it, but it did not 
open. Then he became quite angry. He 
thought of his fairy godmother and he 
called her names for shutting him up in 
such a place. 

He went to lie on his couch, but instead 
of its being soft with many cushions it was 


THE MAGIC PRISON 


139 


bare and hard. He reached out his hand 
for some fruit, but only two withered apples 
remained on the table. 

Prince Harweda was now quite frightened. 
Was he to starve to death in this prison.^ 
There was not a sound anywhere; even the 
fountain had stopped dancing and singing. 
Harweda threw himself down on the floor 
and cried bitterly. 

At last he thought he heard a faint sound. 
He raised his head and listened. It seemed 
that some tiny creature was moving about 
not far from him. For the first time he 
remembered the bird in its gilded cage. 

“Poor little thing,” he cried, springing up, 
“you must be as frightened and hungry 
as I am.” 

As he came to the cage the bird gave a 
faint chirp. 

“Perhaps you are thirsty,” said the prince. 
“I will bring you a drink.” 

As the boy lifted the cup toward the cage 
harsh grating sounds were heard and faint 
rays of light shone through narrow cracks 
where the windows had been. 

“See,” cried the prince, “now we at least 
have a little light.” 


140 


IN FAIRYLAND 


The next day he was so hungry 
that he began to eat one of the 
withered apples, but as he bit it 
he thought of his fellow-prisoner, 
the bird. 

“You must be hungry, too,” 
said he, as he divided the apple 
and put part in the cage. 

Again came the harsh grating 
sounds and the boy noticed that 
the cracks of light were, grow- 
ing larger. Eagerly he climbed 
upon a chair to see out. Never 
before had the 
trees and green 
grass seemed so wonderful. 

“Oh, my pretty bird,” he 
cried joyfully, “I can see 
the great beautiful outside 
world, and you shall see it, 
too.” 

With these words he 
reached up and lifted the 
cage from its hook. Carry- 
ing it to the nearest crack of 
light, he placed it close to the 
narrow opening. Again were 




THE MAGIC PRISON 


141 


heard the strange sounds and the 
walls moved until the windows 
were at least two inches wide. 
At this the prince clapped his 
hands with delight. 

The next day as he was care- 
fully cleaning the cage of the bird 
the windows became another 
inch wider. Prince Harweda no 
longer cared for the big mirrors; 
he saw only 
the golc 
sunshi 
and t 
beautif 
landscape outside the w 
dows. One day as he sat 
close to the narrow opening the 
bird gave a pitiful little trill. 

“Poor little fellow,” said Har- 
weda, “would you like to be 
free.^ You shall at least be as 
free as I.” 

So saying, he opened the cage 
door and the bird flew about the 
room. Prince Harweda was so 
much occupied with the bird he 




142 


IN FAIRYLAND 


did not notice that the walls had again moved 
and that the windows were their full size. He 
looked around the room and found that it 
seemed almost the same as it did the first day 
he entered. The fountain again laughed and 
played, the couches were again covered with 
soft cushions, the table was loaded with fruit. 

But the prince no longer cared for these 
things. He longed to be out of doors, he 
wished to be with people, to hear them 
talk, and see them smile. 

The little bird flew about the room and 
then fluttered against the windowpane in 
a vain effort to get out. The prince watched 
it for a while and as he did so he thought, 
“Why should the bird be a prisoner It 
longs to be flying about among the tree 
tops. It shall be free even if I cannot.” 

Picking up a heavy vase, he struck upon 
the windowpane. A small piece of glass 
was broken out and the bird flew into the 
open air. 

“How happy my bird is,” exclaimed the 
prince, “and how glad I am that I could set 
him free.” 

Then the pink marble palace shook from 
top to bottom, the iron door flew open, 


THE MAGIC PRISON 


143 


and Prince Harweda was as free as the bird. 
On the steps stood his fairy godmother 
with her hands stretched out toward him. 

“Come, my godchild,” she said, “we shall 
now go back to your father and mother 
and they will rejoice that you have been 
cured.” 

So Prince Harweda returned to the palace. 
The king and queen were so delighted with 
their kind, unselfish soli that they proclaimed 
a great holiday and all the people came to 
see the gentle prince who would one day 
rule over them. 



THE TROLL’S HAMMER 


HERE was once a poor man who 



was unable to get enough food for 


X his little family so he called his 
eldest son, Neils, to him and bade him go far 
away to look for work. 

Early the next morning the lad started out 
to seek his fortune. All day he walked on and 
on and when evening came he found himself 
in a dark forest. Fearing that wild beasts 
might harm him he climbed into a high tree 
and prepared to spend the night there. 

He had been there only a short time when 
he saw a queer little man running toward him. 
He was hunchbacked, had crooked legs, and 
on his head wore a tiny red cap. A wolf was 
chasing him and as they came near the tree 
it sprang upon the little man and would have 
torn him to pieces. But just then with a 
loud shout, Neils leaped from the tree and 
picking up a club drove the wolf away. 

“You have saved my life,” said the little 
man, “and in return I shall give you a fairy 


144 


THE TROLL’S HAMMER 


145 


gift. Here is a hammer with which you will 
be able to do wonderful work.” 

When he had spoken these words he sank 
into the ground and disappeared. Then Neils 
knew that the little man was a troll from 
Fairyland and he wondered what good luck 
the hanuner might bring to him. 

The next day the boy came to a town near 
the king’s palace and here he asked work of 
a smith by the name of Gunter. 

“Can you make a good lock.^” asked 
Gunter. 

“Yes, I think I can,” replied the boy. 

“If you can make the best lock that has 
ever been seen,” said the smith, “I will hire 
you. Last week the king’s treasury was 
broken open and robbed of a large bag of 
money and he has offered gold and high honor 
to the smith who can make a lock that can 
not be broken by robbers. If you will make 
such a lock for me to take to the king I will 
pay you well.” 

“I will try,” replied Neils; for he thought, 
“Now is the time to test my wonderful 
hammer.” 

Then he shut himself up in a small shop 
with a forge, and the hammer seemed to 


146 


IN FAIRYLAND 


work by itself. In three days the lock was 
finished and the smith carried it to the palace. 
There were locks from all parts of the country 
but none was so skillfully made as the one 
that Gunter brought. 

So Neils’s master 
was declared to be 
the most clever smith 
in the kingdom and 
the king gave him 
the promised bag of 
gold. Gunter eagerly 
carried the gold home 
but he said nothing 
about the boy who 
had done the work. 

“Now may I have 
the wages that you 
promised me.^ ” asked 
Neils when he heard 
of his master’s good 
luck. 

“I will not pay you now,” replied Gunter. 
“There is other work to be done; go back to 
the forge.” 

In the meantime many people came from 
far countries to see the lock and among them 



THE TROLLS’ HAMMER 147 

was a king who examined it long and care- 
fully. 

“You have a fine smith,” he said, “but I 
have a better one in my country.” 

“That cannot be,” said the other king, 
“but if you wish we will put them to test.” 

So it was agreed that the king who could 
show the finest knife should win a bag of 
precious jewels. Then the king sent for 
Gunter. 

“I must have the finest knife that has ever 
been made,” he said, “and it must be finished 
in ten days.” 

Gunter hurried home and called to Neils, 
“Get to work, boy. I must have the finest 
knife that has ever been made. If it is not 
ready in ten days you shall be beaten and 
have nothing to eat.” 

Again Neils was shut in the little shop with 
the forge and again the wonderful hammer 
did the work. On the tenth day Gunter 
carried to the king a curious knife. The 
stranger king was there and he showed a 
beautiful knife set with jewels that was so 
sharp that it could cut through a thick 
board at one stroke. 

Then Gunter did as Neils had told him; 


148 


IN FAIRYLAND 


he picked up the stranger’s knife and with 
the knife that the boy had made he split it 
from point to handle as easily as one splits a 
twig of willow. 

So Gunter’s king won the bag of jewels 
and he gave a rich reward to the smith for 
the wonderful knife. 

When the master reached home Neils again 
asked for his wages, and again the smith 
replied, “I will not pay you now. There is 
other work to be done; go back to the forge.” 

“For,” thought the man, “if I pay the boy 
now he may go away and refuse to work any 
more for me.” 

But Neils was very unhappy and the next 
day he went to the king and told him the 
story of the lock and the knife. The king at 
once sent for Gunter, who, when he came, 
declared that the boy had not told the truth. 

“We will find out about this,” said the 
king. “Each of you shall make a sword and 
we shall see who is the clever workman.” 

Gunter and Neils were placed in separate 
rooms and at the end of a week each brought 
a sword to the king. Gunter’s was very beau- 
tiful but when the king bent it, it broke into 
two pieces. 


THE TROLL’S HAMMER 


149 


“Where is your sword?” the king asked of 
Niels. 

“Here in my pocket,” answered the boy. 

All in the room began to laugh when the 
boy took out a small round package. He 
opened it and showed the blade rolled up 
like a watch spring. Out of the other pocket 
he took a hilt of gold and screwed it to the 
blade. Then kneeling, he presented it to the 
king. All present gathered close to see, for 
never before had such a wonderful sword 
been seen in the kingdom. 

Gunter now had to confess that Neils had 
made both the lock and the knife. The king 
in anger would have had the man put to 
death if the boy had not begged for his life. 

As for Neils, the king gave him large rewards 
and made him an officer in the kingdom. In 
time he became very rich, he owned much 
land and had many fine houses, but his dear- 
est possession was the hammer given him by 
the queer little dwarf in the dark forest. 


THE TONGUE-GUT SPARROW 


ONG, long ago, far away in the land 



of Japan, there lived a little old man 


and a little old woman. And they 
were so very poor that they had to work 
hard every day to get enough to eat. 

One morning when the old woman opened 
the door she saw on the step a tiny sparrow. 

“You poor little thing,” she said, “you 
must be hungry and your feathers are all wet 
from the rain.” 

Taking him up in her warm hands she held 
him in the sunshine until his wings were dry, 
and she fed him food from her own breakfast. 
Then she let him go, and after singing a sweet 
song the bird flew away. 

Every morning after that, just as the sun 
was coming over the mountain tops, the 
sparrow perched on the roof of the house and 
sang over and over his sweet songs. 

The old man and the old woman grew to 
love the bird, for they said, “Every day he 
wakes us and bids us be happy. His sweet 


150 


THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW 151 

singing makes the day seem better and 
brighter.” 

But near them lived a cross old woman who 
did not like birds and their songs. She did 
not like to be wakened early in the morning; 
so one day she caught the sparrow and cut 
his tongue. 

The poor little bird flew far away to his 
home, for he could never sing again. 

The old man and the woman missed their 
little friend and when they heard what had 
happened they were very sad. 

One day the little old woman said to her 
husband, “Let us go and find our poor little 
sparrow. We can tell him how we enjoyed 
his songs and how sorry we are for him.” 

So early the next morning they started 
down the long road. After a time they saw 
a white owl who was taking a nap in a 
tree. 

“Do you know where the Tongue-Cut 
Sparrow lives.^” asked the old man. 

“Don’t bother me,” said the white owl. 
“I never heard of a Tongue-Cut Sparrow.” 

The old man and woman walked on and 
on. At the end of the road they saw a red 
squirrel who was gathering nuts. 


152 


IN FAIRYLAND 


‘‘Do you know where the Tongue-Cut 
Sparrow lives?” asked the old woman. 

“No,” said the red squirrel. “I never 
heard of a Tongue-Cut Sparrow. But if you 
go through the dark woods you will see a 
gray bat. He is very wise; ask him.” 

The old man and woman trudged through 
the dark woods and there they saw a gray 
bat hanging from the branch of a tree. 

“Oh, Gray Bat,” said the old man, “you 
are very wise; please tell us where we can 
find the Tongue-Cut Sparrow.” 

“Go over the mountain,” said the gray 
bat, “and you will find his little home.” 

The little old people walked on and on, 
they climbed over the high mountain and at 
last came to a tiny house. There at the door 
was the sad little bird. 

“Dear Sparrow,” said the little old man, 
“we have come to tell you how much we love 
you and how sorry we are that you cannot 
sing.” 

Then the sparrow was very happy. He 
flew down to the old woman’s shoulder and 
put his head gently against her face. All 
day they stayed together, and as the sun 
began to sink the old people started for home. 


THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW 


153 


Then the sparrow led them down a narrow 
little path at the end of which they found 
two baskets, one very large and the other 
very small. 

“He means for us to take one of these,” 
said the old man. “Which shall we choose.^” 

“We must not be greedy,” 
said the little old woman. 

“Since he is so kind let us 
take the smaller one.” 

So, carrying it carefully 
between them, they went 
back over the high mountain, 
through the dark woods, and down the long 
road until they came to their own little home. 

“Let us open the basket,” said the little 
old woman. “ I wonder what the sparrow has 
given us.” 

As she spoke the basket seemed to grow 
larger and larger. Piles of gold and rolls of 
rich silk fell froni it, enough to make them 
rich all their lives. The old people could 
hardly believe their eyes. 

“The dear sparrow!” said they. “The 
dear good sparrow! See what he has done 
for us!” 

Now the cross old woman who had cut 



154 


IN FAIRYLAND 


the sparrow’s tongue looked in through the 
window. She saw the basket, the piles of 
gold, and the rolls of silk. The old people 
told her of their visit to the sparrow and the 
cross woman planned how she might get gold 
and silk for herself. 

“I am very sorry,” she said, “that I cut 
the tongue of the sparrow. Please tell me 
where he lives so that I may ask him to for- 
give me.” 

The kind old woman told her the way and 
she started out. She went down the long 
road, she trudged through the dark wood, 
and she climbed over the high mountain. 
When she found the poor sparrow she pre- 
tended to be very sorry for what she had 
done and begged to be forgiven. 

Toward night she started home and the 
sparrow led her down the narrow path where 
she saw two baskets. 

“I am going to take the larger one,” she 
said. “I want to be richer than my neigh- 
bors.” 

But the basket was very heavy and she 
could hardly drag it over the steep mountain; 
when she came to the dark wood she could 
scarcely carry it for the branches seemed to 


THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW 


155 


hold it back; and when she went down the 
long road it grew heavier and heavier. At 
last she reached home nearly dead. 

“I will shut my bhnds,” she said, “and then 
I will see my great treasure.” 

But as she lifted the lid no bags of money 
or rolls of rich silk appeared. Instead the 
room was filled with a swarm of horrible 
creatures. They stung the old woman and 
they bit her, until she ran screaming out of 
the door. Still the ugly creatures followed her 
until they drove her far, far away into the 
depths of the dark forest where she was 
compelled to live the rest of her life. 



WHY THE SEA IS SALT 



O NCE in a far-away land there lived 
two men who were brothers. The 
older brother was rich; he lived in 
a very large house and had many servants. 
He wore fine clothes and he and his wife ate 
the best kind of food. 

The younger brother was poor; he lived in 
a very small house. He wore ragged clothes 
and some days he and his wife had nothing 
at all to eat. 


156 


WHY THE SEA IS SALT 


157 


New Year’s Day came. The rich man 
ordered a great feast and invited many 
guests to come and dine with him. 

The poor brother was hungry. He and his 
wife had eaten the last of their bread the day 
before. 

“I will go to my brother,” said the poor 
man; “it is New Year’s Day, perhaps he will 
give us something.” 

So he went to the big house. He told his 
brother how hungry he and his wife were and 
he asked for food. 

“Take this piece of meat,” said the brother 
crossly, “and do not ask for more.” 

The poor man put the meat into his basket, 
thanked his brother, and started home. On 
his way he passed through a thick wood; 
there he met an old woman with a long staff. 

“Where are you going.^” asked the old 
woman. “And what have you in your 
basket.^” 

The poor man told her about his rich 
brother and of the meat that he was taking 
home for his New Year’s dinner. 

“And so you have some meat,” said the 
old woman. “That is good. Now if you will 
do as I say, you need never be hungry again.” 


158 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“Tell me what to do,” cried the man 
eagerly. “I will do anything if I need never 
be hungry.” 

“Do you see this rock.^” asked the old 
woman. “Lift it up and you will find a door. 
It leads to the goblins’ home. Go through 
the door and the long hall and you will come 
to a yard where the goblins are playing ball. 
As soon as they smell the meat they will 
want to buy it of you. Do not trade it for 
anything except the little old mill that stands 
behind the door. Bring it here and I will 
show you how to use it.” 

The man lifted up the rock; there was the 
door as the old woman had said. He opened 
it and passed down the long hall. It was 
very dark but at the end he saw a ray of 
light. He went toward it and there in a yard 
were big goblins and little goblins playing 
ball. As soon as they smelled the meat they 
ran to the man and began to beg for it. 

“What will you take for it.^” asked one. 

“I will give you this ball,” said one. 

“I will give you money,” said another. 

The man said, “Give me the little old mill 
that stands behind the door and I will let 
you have the meat.” 


WHY THE SEA IS SALT 


159 


“Let him have the mill if he wants it,” 
said a big goblin. “He does not know how 
to use it.” 

A little goblin ran to get it and the trade 
was made. 

The man took the mill under his arm; he 
went back through the long hall, through 
the door, and into the woods. There the old 
woman showed him how to use the mill and 
he started home. 

“You have been gone a long time,” said his 
wife. “I hope you have brought some food. 
I am very hungry.” 

“Do you see this mill.^” asked the man. 

“Yes,” said the wife, “but that can not feed 
us or keep us warm.” 

“Wait,” said the husband. “This is a very 
wonderful mill; I will show you what it can 
do.” 

He put the mill on the table and said, 

“ Grind, mill, grind; . 

Grind us a dinner, 

The best you can find.” 

The mill began to grind round and round 
and out came a tablecloth, knives, forks, and 
spoons, and dishes filled with good things to 


160 IN FAIRYLAND 

eat. When the table was covered the man 
said, 

“ Be still, mill 
It is my will.” 

The mill stopped and the man and his wife 
sat down to the best dinner they had ever 
seen. 

When they had finished the man started 
the mill again and it ground out fine clothes 
for both of them and many things for the 
house. The next day it ground out material 
for a new house and money enough to pay 
men to build it. 

Not long after this the rich brother heard 
that his poor brother was living in a big new 
house and that he and his wife were wearing 
fine clothes and had money to spend. So he 
went to visit his brother. When he saw the 
fine house with its beautiful garden he was 
angry. 

“Where did you get all these things.^” he 
asked. 

At first the younger brother would not tell, 
but after awhile he brought out the mill and 
made it grind out gold to show his brother. 

“What will you take for it.^” asked the rich 
man. “I will buy it of you.” 


WHY THE SEA IS SALT 


161 


The younger brother refused to sell, but the 
rich man begged so hard that at last he said, 
“You may have it for one thousand dollars.” 

The rich man paid the money, took the mill 
under his arm, and started home. 

When he reached home he was hungry so 
he said, 

“ Grind, mill, grind; 

Grind me bread and honey. 

The best you can find.” 

The mill began to grind round and round 
and out poured a stream of honey and loaves 
of bread. It filled all the dishes the rich man 
could find. 

“Stop, mill,” he cried. But that was not 
the way to stop it. The mill ground on and 
on. The honey covered the floor, it ran out 
into the hall and pantry; honey and bread 
poured out of the doors and windows. 

The rich man rushed out of the house and 
a stream of honey ran after him. He hurried 
to his brother’s house. 

“Brother,” he called, “come quick and 
stop your mill or we shall all be drowned in 
honey.” 

“What is the matter.^” asked the younger 
brother. “Do you not like the mill.^” 


162 


IN FAIRYLAND 


“I will give you two thousand dollars if 
you will only come and take it away,” said 
the older brother. 

So the younger brother went to the rich 
man’s house. He waded through honey and 
loaves of bread to the mill. 

“ Be still, mill, 

It is my will.” 

he whispered and the mill obeyed. 

Then the younger brother took the mill 
home. Every day it ground for him until he 
could think of nothing more that he wanted. 

One day a ship came into port. The cap- 
tain had come to buy salt. He heard of the 
wonderful mill and went to see it. 

“Can it grind salt.^” he asked. 

“It can grind anything,” said its owner. 
“Let me show you.” 

So he said, 

“ Grind, mill, grind; 

Grind me salt. 

The best you can find.” 

The mill ground round and round and a 
stream of white salt came out. After the 
captain had gone the owner stopped the mill 
and put it away. 


WHY THE SEA IS SALT 


163 


That night when everything was still the 
captain and two of his men came back to the 
house. While the owner was sleeping they 
stole the mill and carried it away to the 
ship. They set sail and next morning they 
were far away. 

Then the captain set the mill on the deck. 
He said, 

“ Grind, mill, grind, 

Grind me salt. 

The best you can find.” 

The mill ground round and out came a 
stream of white salt. The sailors filled the 
bags and boxes and baskets. 

“Stop, mill,” cried the captain, but that 
was not the way to stop it. The mill ground 
on and on. Salt covered the deck and the 
ship began to sink. 

The captain was frightened. He picked up 
the mill and threw it into the sea. 

Down it sank to the bottom still grinding 
and grinding salt. And some people say that 
is why the sea is salt. 

















